Catch You Catch Kagome
by Suggaro
Summary: Bankotsu finds out Naraku's evil intentions and decides that he doesn't want to be a part of it anymore. When he remembers that Kagome can see the jewel shards, he sets up a trap and kidnaps her. Now, he needs to make Kagome shut up and work with him!
1. Jewel Shard Me This

_Hello, and welcome to another one of my stories! I have yet another layout for this story...I wonder if I'll ever find one I completely like... Anyways...There aren't THAT many Bankotsu stories out there...Or if there are I haven't found them...Hummm...Anyways, I decided to make one! Wha-la!_

**REAL SUMMARY: **Something strange begins to happen in the feudal era and demons already beat are popping up! All of the jewel shards not in use, disappear, forcing everyone to search for them again. When Naraku flees to safety and orders the Shichinintai to collect jewel shards for him, Bankotsu doesn't like the idea of being a gopher and takes his team elsewhere. With Naraku so weak and desperately needing jewel shards, he'll do just about anything to get them! However, Naraku isn't the only one with tricks up his sleeve. Bankotsu remembers the girl traveling with Inuyasha and decides to use her to help his band collect shards, but will he be able to stand her company for more than a day?

**STORY NOTE: **_The pairings are undecided...there's a lot of guys I can stick poor Kagome with...So...you'll just have to read and see! __Teehee!_

* * *

Disclaimer: I do not own Inuyasha only some of the random things that I make up.

Warnings: OOC (some characters) ,language. Rated for later chapters...Or just in case.

Key:_ thought , _"speech"

* * *

Catch you catch Kagome **CHAPTER ONE: Jewel Shard me this**

Kagome sat in her room looking a little more than bored as she stared at the clock. It was already midnight and she couldn't seem to fall asleep. Was she worried about something, or was it that strange feeling in her stomach? Whatever it was, something was calling her to the well. Kagome had just returned home that night after an exhausting battle with the Shichinintai and hoped to get some rest. However, it didn't look like she'd be getting any sleep anytime soon. "Fine, I'll go look!" she shouted to nobody in particular.

Slowly Kagome climbed out of her bed and changed into her school uniform, one never knew what to expect. Once she was dressed she slowly headed downstairs and out the front door. The night air had an unsettling feel to it, leaving Kagome uneasy. Slowly she reached the shed that the well was in and opened the door carefully.

She sighed with relief when she found everything was as it should be. "Silly me," Kagome chuckled to herself, leaning against the door and wiping the sweat from her face. "It was nothing...Right?" Slowly she entered the shed and approached the well. "Ah...Ah...AHHHHHH!"

-------------

Inuyasha practically jumped out of his sleep and into the fire, startling the others. The group was currently sleeping inside Kaede's hut when they were disturbed by Inuyasha's nightmare.

"What's wrong Inuyasha?" Shippo asked yawning. He was presently sleeping next to Kirara in a ball.

"Kagome," Inuyasha muttered as he stood up and grabbed the Tetsusaiga. Without another word he was out the door and heading towards the well.

"He'll come back with Kagome," Miroku mumbled in his sleep, rolling over. "Let's just get our rest..."

------------

Kagome ran out of the shed as fast as she could, behind her followed the oh so familiar centipede lady from her first day in Feudal Japan. "I thought Inuyasha killed you!" Kagome screamed in anger as she ran into the street, ignoring all the cars in her way.

"Looks like someone revived me!" the demon laughed, only inches away from catching Kagome. "Tell me where you hid the jewel shards!"

"Go away!" yelled Kagome. She turned towards her families shrine again, running fast than she ever had before. As soon as she reached the shed she heard a familiar and welcoming voice.

"Wind Scar!"

Kagome turned around and found Inuyasha standing in the middle of the centipede pieces smiling at her. That's when something caught her eyes. "Inuyasha! A jewel shard!" Kagome ran over to a block of the centipede and pulled out a now purified jewel piece.

"The hell was that doing there?" Inuyasha asked in confusion. "And who the hell brought this thing to life?"

"I don't know," Kagome replied.

"Do you want me to stay the night?"

"Yes please."

The two were just about to return to Kagome's house, when they heard screaming from down the street. Inuyasha pulled Kagome into a protective embrace as he looked around, ready for anything. Sure enough, something came...and to the couples displeasure, it was that damned Noh Mask.

"The HELL?" Inuyasha screamed as the mask floated over to them.

"It doesn't have a shard," Kagome told him.

"To hell if it did. It wouldn't matter. I'm gonna bust this piece of shit up!" Inuyasha ran towards the mask and punched it in the face. Big mistake.

"You think he'd have remembered what happened last time he fought this..." Kagome sighed to herself as he watched Inuyasha put his feet on the mask's face and try to put his hand out of it's mouth._ He looks so silly..._

"Let go!" he screamed in frustration. "Dammit, lemme go!"

"Bahhhh!" the mask replied.

"Weren't you told not to talk with your mouth full?" Inuyasha asked as he clawed the mask off and into pieces. "What the HELL is going on?"

"Inuyasha? Are you okay?" Kagome asked as she eyed the half demon's bloody hand.

"Of course not!" Inuyasha exclaimed. "I haven't gotten any sleep and now demons are popping up everywhere! Rahhhh!"

"No Inuyasha," the raven haired girl said glaring. "I meant your hand."

"Oh," answered the boy, looking rather embarrassed. "It's fine."

----------------

"Do you think Kagome is okay?" Shippo asked worriedly. He'd woken everyone up with all his worry.

"Yes Shippo," Miroku soothed. "Kagome will be fine."

"Inuyasha will bring her back soon," Sango added. Kirara lifted her head and nodded in reply.

--------------

"Kagome, pack your things, we're going back to the feudal era!" Inuyasha screamed as he stomped into Kagome's house, with her close behind. "There you'll be safe!"

"Safe were demons lurk EVERYWHERE?" Kagome replied sarcastically.

"At least you'll be with all us!" Inuyasha spat, following Kagome up stairs and into her room.

"If you say so," she answered, starting to pack. Inuyasha walked over to her window and leaned out into the cool night air.

"I wonder why the demons are coming back," he mumbled to himself. "Maybe Naraku has something to do with this..."

"Inuyasha..." Kagome mumbled, her voice sounded dry and weak.

"What is it Kagome?"

"T-the...shards..."

Inuyasha turned to find Kagome holding an empty bottle, the same bottle that should have held the jewel shards. "WHAT?"

-------------

Bankotsu was walking through the forest looking for things to whack with his newly found and strengthened Banryuu. The rest of his team were at the camp sleeping peacefully and waiting for tomorrow when they would hunt down Inuyasha and finally repay their debt to Naraku.

"You seem restless brother Bankotsu," came Suikotsu's voice. Bankotsu turned and narrowed his eyes at his teammate.

"How long have you been following me?" the man with the braid asked, sounding cold.

"Forgive me big brother. You seemed a bit bothered. I thought I might keep you company."

Bankotsu sighed and sat on the ground, crossing his legs. "Come here," he mumbled, patting the dirt beside him. As ordered, Suikotsu sat down beside his leader and waited for him to speak. "Don't you feel that strange aura in the air?"

"Is it bothering you?" Suikotsu asked, seeming confused.

"Look at my Banryuu."

Suikotsu looked at the halberd beside his leader and stared in awe. The scar Inuyasha had left in their first battle had returned. "What happened?"

"The jewel shards disappeared," Bankotsu replied standing up slowly.

"What does this mean?"

"I'm not sure..."

"So...I see you have been affected as well?" came a mysterious voice, startling the two mercenaries.

"Naraku," Bankotsu growled when the monkey came into view. "What has happened to my Banryuu's jewel shards?"

"All the shards not in living flesh have disappeared. I am also at a loss."

"Do you know the cause?"

"I'm afraid not...However, it's something we cannot possibly fight. I'll be going into hiding and away from Inuyasha. My strength has been cut in half and if I was to bump into that stupid half demon he'd kill me. Why not join me and retrieve jewel shards for your weapon and myself?"

"What about my men?"

Suikotsu narrowed his eyes when Naraku glared at him. "They're not nearly as important as you...are they?" Naraku asked.

"No deal," Bankotsu barked, swinging his Banryuu at Naraku and slicing the puppet into pieces. "Our deal is over."

"What shall we do now?" Suikotsu asked his leader when they began to return to camp. "We'll have to find shards for ourselves now. What about Inuyasha's girl? The one that can see the shards?"

"Ahhh yes...We could use her."

"Would you like me to wake the others?"

"Yes."

------------

Inuyasha and Kagome jumped through the well and found themselves in the feudal era. The two carefully climbed out of the well and were greeted by the rest of their group.

"Kagome! I was worried!" Shippo cried flying into her arms. "A bunch of big scary demons attacked the village!"

"Is it okay?" Kagome asked, sounding worried.

"It's fine," an old woman answered. Standing in the back of the group was Kaede. "It seems the jewel shards have disappeared all over and returned the places they once were."

"Meaning?" Inuyasha asked in a bitchy tone.

"Meaning you'll have to find them all again."

"It's true," Sango added. "My shard had disappeared as well. A long with Miroku's."

"It is still late night and the village is safe now. Ye should all go get some rest," Kaede told the group, pushing them towards her hut.

----------

"Is everything ready?" Bankotsu asked his group when he returned to the camp.

"Yes brother Bankotsu," Renkotsu answered.

"Do we get to play with Inuyasha?" Jakotsu asked, sounding hopeful.

"Yep," Bankotsu answered happily. "Does everyone know the plan?"

"Yes," the group replied.

"All right. I want Ginkotsu to stay here with me. He'll shoot a bomb into the air to signal your leave."

"Gesh," Ginkotsu replied, making his way behind a tree to hide.

"The rest of you," Bankotsu continued. "Go have fun."

----------

The group was back in Kaede's hut sleeping peacefully when they were once again disturbed. "Inuyasha!" Jakotsu screamed from outside the hut. "Come out and play!"

Inuyasha and company stepped out of the hut rubbing their eyes sleepily. "Is this a dream?" Inuyasha asked yawning.

"Oh Inuyasha! You're so cute when you're half asleep!" Jakotsu giggled, making the half demons eyes widen in disgust.

"It's a nightmare," Miroku replied.

Jakotsu pulled out his weapon and dashed towards Inuyasha. While Inuyasha and Jakotsu were fighting, Suikotsu was fighting with Miroku and Shippo, and Renkotsu was busy with Sango and Kirara. Kagome however, was looking for the other two Shichinintai. Bankotsu and Ginkotsu were no where to be seen.

"What are they up too?" Kagome asked herself as she watched her friends fight. She'd been told many times to stay somewhere safe when they were fighting the Band of Seven, and right now she wasn't about to go against their wishes. However, when she sensed a nearby untainted jewel shard she had to go searching for it.

Kagome hurried into the forest and followed the jewel shards call. When she realized that the pure jewel shard was with three tainted ones, it was to late.

"Hello woman," Bankotsu laughed as she entered the camp. "I knew you'd come after that shard." The Shichinintai leader was sitting a top a large rock waiting for her arrival. "You can take it if you want. I'll be getting back anyways."

Kagome looked down to find the shard stuck in a flower. _That's why it's pure._ She thought to herself, and looked up at Bankotsu. He only had two in his neck. "So you used one of your shards to lure me here...Were the others a distraction?"

"Yeah! How'd you know? You're pretty smart!" Bankotsu laughed, as he stood up and walked towards her.

"What do you want with me?"

"The same thing that half demon wants."

Kagome blushed. "What...is that?"

"You're powers."

**CHAPTER END**

* * *

**NEXT CHAPTER: You can't make me!**

_Bankotsu successfully kidnaps Kagome, but when he tells her what he wants, she refuses. Now Bankotsu has to persuade her to help him before she is taken away by all the other guys after her heart and power. Can Bankotsu find a way to make Kagome his before it's to late?_

* * *

_How'd you like the first chapter of my story? Pretty interesting huh? Or is it not...humm please tell me your thoughts! Review review!_


	2. You Can't Make Me!

_Oh wow! I've never gotten so many reviews for a first chapter before...I've never gotten this many reviews for any chapter! I'm glad everyone liked it. I hope the story doesn't disappoint you. Enjoy._

**The Violent Tomboy: **The shards that weren't inside living objects disappeared, lol. So, since the shards are in the Band of Sevens necks, and they're alive..sorta, the shards stayed. Koga still has his. All will be explained later, I promise! ((wink))

**Miry: **Oh yes, lots of fluff soon to come!

**PimpTroyce: **Sorry about the time leaps, it's a habit. I'll try my best to make them longer, thanks for the suggestion! It's just so hard to fix! Lol...

**STORY NOTE: **_For update news and dates, please check out my profile. Oh and...spoiler, this is a Ban x Kag...if I haven't already stated that before...I'm to lazy to check. XP_

**

* * *

**

Disclaimer: I do not own Inuyasha only some of the random things that I make up.

Warnings: OOC (some characters) ,language. Rated for later chapters...Or just

in case.

Key:_ thought , _"speech"

**

* * *

**

**ReCaPrEcApReCaPrEcApReCaPrEcApReCaPrEcApReCaPrEcApReCaP**

**LAST TIME...**

Kagome looked down to find the shard stuck in a flower. _That's why it's pure._ She thought to herself, and looked up at Bankotsu. He only had two in his neck. "So you used one of your shards to lure me here...Were the others a distraction?"

"Yeah! How'd you know? You're pretty smart!" Bankotsu laughed, as he stood up and walked towards her.

"What do you want with me?"

"The same thing that half demon wants."

Kagome blushed. "What...is that?"

"You're powers."

**ReCaPrEcApReCaPrEcApReCaPrEcApReCaPrEcApReCaPrEcApReCaP**

**

* * *

**

Catch you catch Kagome

**CHAPTER TWO: You can't make me!**

"What do you mean?" Kagome asked again, stepping back once more, but not before grabbing the shard from the flower.

Bankotsu continued walking towards her, ignoring the fear she had of him. "You'll find out later," he told her, lunging forward and grabbing her around the waist. "Ginkotsu, signal the others! I've got the girl!"

"Lemme go!" Kagome cried as she began kicking and squirming.

"Just be quiet!" Bankotsu ordered her covering her mouth with his hands. He held her firmly as he ran deeper into the forest after Ginkotsu fired his cannon. Kagome was actually quite surprised at how gentle the Shichinintai leader was being with her, what was he planning?

-------------

"Is that the signal?" Jakotsu cried sadly. "I don't want to leave Inuyasha yet!"

"Let's go!" Suikotsu demanded, grabbing his comrade by the arm and running into the forest. Renkotsu jumped in front of Inuyasha, shoved a flower in the half demons nose and then followed his friends into the forest.

"What was that?" Inuyasha screamed in frustration, pulling the flower from his nose. "Are they just trying to ruin my sleep?"

"Oh no!" Shippo exclaimed, bothering everyone. "Where's Kagome?"

"I think I saw her running off into the forest!" Sango exclaimed, jumping onto Kirara and following after the Shichinintai members. "What have you done with Kagome?" she demanded, throwing her large boomerang weapon.

Suikotsu stopped and easily caught it. "She's probably somewhere getting killed by some demon. You should keep a better eye on her!" he taunted, tossing the weapon back at it's owner. "Stupid woman!"

"Where's Kagome?" Inuyasha asked, jumping down in front of Sango.

"It looks like big brother will have to wait awhile," Suikotsu sighed, getting into a fighting stance. "Make sure nobody gets in our way."

Renkotsu ran towards Sango and Kirara, breathing fire and chasing the two away, while Jakotsu assisted Suikotsu in attacking Inuyasha.

"We aren't going to kill him are we?" Jakotsu asked sadly, swinging his trick sword at the half demon with great force.

"Not until ordered," Suikotsu replied, trying to slice a hole into Inuyasha's chest.

"Stop talking so casually and fight me!" Inuyasha demanded angrily, dodging all the attacks thrown at him. Suddenly he found himself engulfed in fire and when he blew it all away with his wind scar, he was all alone on the battle field. Kagome had been lost, and the Shichinintai had gotten away.

"That was long and boring," Renkotsu mumbled as he and the others ran through the forest, headed towards a cave in the distance.

"Won't Inuyasha be able to pick up our scent along with that girls?" Jakotsu asked, worriedly.

"Nah, Renkotsu took care of that," Suikotsu explained.

"Really? How?" Jakotsu inquired, stopping and staring at Suikotsu once they reached a cave.

"I gave him a special flower that destroys a demons scent glands. He won't be able to smell for awhile. When he does, he'll have forgotten our smell along with that girls," Bankotsu explained, exiting the cave in the background. The Shichinintai had made an old cave into their new hide-out. Seeing as how they'd just kidnapped a young girl, they needed a place to keep her until they could get her to join them. Until then, they were stuck in that cave. The cave however, was conveniently in the middle of a rather large forest. It would be impossible for Inuyasha to find them without his smell, and if he did, they'd already be long gone.

"Where is the woman?" Jakotsu asked in disgust.

"Asleep in the cave," Bankotsu replied. "Thanks to Suikotsu's sleeping potion."

"No problem," the said man laughed heading into the cave. "I'm tired and it's late. Night."

"I agree, I'm quite sleepy," Renkotsu muttered, following Suikotsu. "Ginkotsu, lets go." Ginkotsu did as he was told and soon only Jakotsu and Bankotsu were standing in the moonlight.

"What's you plan?" Jakotsu asked his leader as he yawned.

"I'll talk to her," he replied, also yawning. "Let's get to sleep..." The two boys made their way to the cave, yawning and moaning about the nights work.

-----------

Kagome found herself inside a cave surrounded by the Shichinintai. "Oh my gosh," she muttered to herself in fear. They were all asleep, but still scary. She slowly began to move in an attempt to escape, but was stopped by two strong hands.

"You're not going to run away from me, are you?" Bankotsu whispered into her ear, causing her to jump. "Woah! Calm down!"

Kagome tried to fight his grip, but was far too tired and just gave up. "What do you want...?" she asked trying to fight the sleep that was over coming her.

"I want you to rest right now," he replied. "I'll talk to you in the morning." Kagome felt him wrap his arms around her to keep her from escaping, yet he was being so gentle. The truth was...Kagome was confused.

When she woke up she found the other members of the Shichinintai watching her and Bankotsu intently. "Ahhhh!" she screamed, slapping Bankotsu in the face and rolling out of his arms.

"AHHHH SHIT! WHAT WAS THAT?" he screamed in reply, jumping up and looking around in surprise.

"Uhhh...Big brother?" Renkotsu asked softly, trying not to startle their leader again.

"Renkotsu?" the man with the braid asked, still confused.

"You're woman is escaping-"

"No she's not," Suikotsu interrupted, carrying a screaming and angry Kagome back into the cave.

"Ewww...How can you hold that woman?" Jakotsu asked in disgust. "And Bankotsu, how could you sleep with her?"

"Sleep with me?" Kagome asked blushing. "Ahhh! You pervert! Is that why you kidnapped me?"

"Wha? No no no! Of course not! I'd never do something so horrible!" Bankotsu exclaimed starting to turn red. "You were cold and tired...and I didn't want you to escape!"

"So..." Jakotsu mumbled, eyeing their leader suspiciously. "Why didn't you just tie her up and give her a blanket?"

"Uhhh..."

"He wanted something to cuddle," Renkotsu explained, getting a glare from Bankotsu.

"SHUT UP!" the Shichinintai leader yelled and began walking over to Suikotsu. "Give her to me," he demanded and took her out of Suikotsu's arms and into his own. "I'm the leader and I'll do whatever the hell I want!" he shouted as he left the cave with Kagome screaming in his ear the entire way.

"And she's supposed to help us?" Jakotsu asked sighing.

"If big brother doesn't kill her first," Renkotsu added.

"Someone wake up Ginkotsu. I can hear him snoring!" Suikotsu yelled to the two members before walking deeper into the cave to do cheese only knows.

-----------

"Kagome?" Inuyasha screamed as he frantically looked for his missing girl. "Where are you? Dammit! I can't pick up her scent!"

"I'm sure Kagome is fine," Miroku told the worried half demon.

"Kagome!" Shippo cried.

"Do you really believe that?" Inuyasha asked angrily.

"I suppose not..."

"Kagome!" Shippo cried again.

"Arg! It was the Band of Seven! I knew they were up to something!"

"Kagome!" Shippo cried once more.

"Don't beat yourself up over it," Sango told Inuyasha whacking him on the head with her fist. "Calm down and lets just continue searching for her..."

"Kagome!" Shippo cried sadly.

"Arg! Would somebody shut him up?" Inuyasha asked, getting very angry. Suddenly everyone heard a loud sound...it sounded like...wind.

"KAGOME!" they heard a familiar voice scream. As soon as a giant tornado appeared, they all knew who it was. Kouga had come to the rescue. "Where's Kagome you pathetic mutt!" Kouga screamed, appearing in front of the half demon and grabbing him by the hair.

Inuyasha looked away in shame. "I don't know," he replied slowly. "The Shichinintai kidnapped her. "

"WHAT?" Kouga screamed in fury, shaking Inuyasha violently. "You let them take my KAGOME away?"

"She's not yours!"

"You're right!" Kouga snapped. "Right now she's the Shichinintai's girl! I'll save her!" Without another word, Kouga rushed off into the forest as quickly as he'd appeared.

------------

"Please stop screaming!" Bankotsu pleaded as he put Kagome down and covered his ears. Almost immediately she began running in the opposite direction. "Stop running!" Bankotsu cried, chasing after her.

"Leave me alone!" she yelled. "I've been chased by EVERYTHING, and I'm not going to be caught by the likes of you!"

"Am I that bad?" he asked, jumping in front of her and catching her in his arms.

"Why do you keep doing that?" she asked angrily, pushing him away.

"What?"

"Hugging me!"

"I'm not hugging you..."

"Liar! I won't sleep with you!"

"Wow! I don't want you too. You're soooooo not my type."

Kagome stopped and turned turn him, her face red with anger. "Then what do you want?"

"Uhhh..." Bankotsu stuttered. _Damn this girl is angry...and really scary... _"It's simple. I want you to help us find the jewel shards."

"FORGET IT!"

Bankotsu frowned, somehow he knew she'd say that. "Fine," he growled. "Have it your way." He marched over to her, picked her up, threw her over his shoulder, and carried her back into the cave where he tied her up and set her on the ground and stared at her. "If you want to eat...You find shard."

"Then I guess I'll starve," Kagome replied smugly.

"I guess you'll just die then."

"Fine by me."

"Is it really?"

"Inuyasha will save me."

"Nope."

"Yes he will."

"No he won't."

"Yes he will!"

"Nope, you know why?"

"...Why?"

"Cuz you won't want him too."

Bankotsu's last remark left Kagome more confused than she'd been to begin with. What on earth was he up to?

--------------

Jakotsu, Renkotsu, Ginkotsu, and Suikotsu were all outside the cave listening to Bankotsu and Kagome fight, an interesting battle that Kagome was now loosing...The four had followed Bankotsu and the girl out and when they left and just decided to stay put.

"So...does anyone know how big brother plans to get her to help us?" Jakotsu asked in curiosity.

"It's quite obvious," Renkotsu explained. "He's going to try and romance her as soon as she stopped yelling."

"That's so gross."

"Gesh," Ginkotsu replied.

"You'd both think so," Suikotsu moaned as he peeked inside the cave, where Bankotsu was now having a staring contest with the young girl. "He's coming out."

Bankotsu left the cave and looked at his men that were all pretending to mind their own business. "I'll try force," the leader told them. "Jakotsu, Renkotsu, go find something really good to eat."

"Why...?" Renkotsu asked, staring at his leader in confusion.

"We're going to have a BIG feast."

"Is that so?" asked an unfamiliar voice to the Shichinintai.

"Oh, Hi Kouga!" Jakotsu laughed, waving to the wolf demon.

"I know you're hiding Kagome here," he growled. "I can smell her."

"Can you now?" Bankotsu asked raising his eyebrow. "We'll have to fix that now won't we. Catch him!"

Kouga jumped up in the air just as quickly as Suikotsu jumped at him, unfortunately for him, the Shichinintai had their act together and already surrounded him. When Kouga came down to the ground he was caught by none other than Bankotsu himself. Kouga was forced to the dirt by the four men and eventually knocked out when Jakotsu whacked the demon on the head with his sword's handle.

"Now what?" Jakotsu asked holding up the demon's limp body.

"Suikotsu, get some kinda potion that'll screw with his memory," Bankotsu ordered.

"Why not just kill him?" Suikotsu inquired curiously.

"We could use him to our advantage later. I'll get the smelly flower. Watch him Jakotsu." Bankotsu left and came back with the flower and shoved it up Kouga's nose. As soon as he appeared, Suikotsu popped up with a small bottle that he figured once belonged to Mukotsu and poured it's contents into the demons mouth, making him drink it. "Now...Throw him into the river."

"What river?" Renkotsu asked, wondering where there was a river.

"Uhh...the river that's far far far away from here," Bankotsu replied, grinning. "I have to go tend to the girl...Oh yeah, and once you're done dumping the wolf's body...Go pick up that food I asked you to get."

-------------

"Why are we stuck hunting?" Jakotsu complained as he wandered through the forest with Renkotsu close behind. The two of them had just finished disposing of Kouga's body and were now back in the forest looking for food.

"Because, big brother trusts us to find something tasty," Renkotsu explained. "And anything Suikotsu brought back would be no longer edible."

"I guess...INUYASHA!" with that last comment, Jakotsu grabbed Renkotsu by the arm and pulled him into the bushes.

"Shichinintai! I can't smell you, where are you?" Inuyasha screamed as he jumped down in front of the bush Jakotsu was hiding in with Renkotsu.

"Inuyasha!" Jakotsu giggled, jumping out and hugging Inuyasha around the neck. "Do you know where we can find something yummy?"

"Ack!" Inuyasha screamed, trying to pull Jakotsu off. "Get off of me!"

"That reminds me," Renkotsu mumbled, stepping out of the bush. "Where is Kagome's yellow bag thing she carries around?"

"Renkotsu!" Miroku and Sango yelled as they approached the three people.

"Where have you taken Kagome?" Miroku asked worriedly.

"Ah...Monk. Tell me, have you seen her bag?" Renkotsu asked, ignoring Inuyasha and Jakotsu who were fighting in the background.

"Why do you want Kagome's bag?" Sango asked suspiciously.

"I thought she may like it back," the Shichinintai member replied. "So...Where is it?"

"Kagome! Have you found her?" Shippo asked as he flew in on Kirara holding Kagome's bag.

"Shippo!" Miroku yelled as Renkotsu grinned and jumped up grabbing the bag from the small fox.

"Thanks," he told Shippo before turning to Jakotsu and yelling, "It's time to go!"

"Bye-bye Inuyasha!" Jakotsu giggled, pushing Inuyasha into the bush and running off into the forest with Renkotsu.

"Kagome!" the half demon screamed, standing up. "I'll find her...but...I lost their scent again! What's going on?"

"Inuyasha's a loser!" Shippo cried, grabbing onto Miroku's robe and sobbing into it.

"Stupid fox!" Inuyasha hissed.

-------------

Renkotsu and Jakotsu returned to camp with a few rabbits and a deer. Both were greeted by an eager Suikotsu, who stole the dead animals from them and began chopping them up with a little to much enthusiasm.

"What's that you've got there?" Bankotsu asked as he eyed the yellow bag on Renkotsu's shoulders.

"It's Kagome's?" Renkotsu replied, trying to remember the girls name.

"Great! Thanks," Bankotsu laughed as he took the bag from Renkotsu. "This'll come in handy later. Suikotsu's doing the cooking, so just take it easy until dinner." Bankotsu returned to the cave where he found Kagome trying to escape the ropes holding her. "Even if you did get out, I'd still catch you," he told her, sitting down beside her.

"Whatever," she mumbled coldly. Sure, she was scared to death...but she wasn't about to work with him no matter what. Inuyasha would save her, and she doubted Bankotsu was anything like Kouga...Of course, they all seemed to want the same thing. Her powers. _Am I good for anything else? Would they even look at me if it weren't for my abilities? _Suddenly her face became soft, as if she was going to cry. _Of course Inuyasha will save me. He needs me to find the jewel shards...nothing more._

Bankotsu noticed her change in expression and moved closer to her. "Are those ropes to tight?" he asked her softly, removing the ropes that bound her arms.

"Thanks," she mumbled looking down at the ground. "Why are you being so patient?" she asked softly. She'd been wondering that the whole time she'd been captured, not that it'd been long.

"What good would it do to force you to do something you didn't want to do?" Bankotsu replied sounding rather intelligent. "It'd only make it harder for us. You could make us run into demons and what not...It's really not good for us."

"Of course," she growled, turning away and crossing her arms in anger. "Only thinking about yourselves...Just like everyone else in this era."

"What do you mean by that?" the Shichinintai leader asked in confusion. "You sure are moody aren't ya?"

"Stupid."

"I wouldn't be so quick to call me names. You might piss me off. Remember, I've got your little life in my hands."

"Don't remind me..."

"Heheheh..."

"What's that smell?" Kagome asked, once she noticed a very good smell filling the cave. What she didn't see was the other Shichinintai members with fans directing the smell into the cave and to her hungry nose.

"Lunch, you hungry?"

"No."

"Good, more for us."

"...Fine!" Kagome yelled, finally giving in. She hadn't eaten for awhile and was starving. "I'll give you a shard if you promise to feed me!"

"Cool!" Bankotsu laughed, standing up. He smiled when she set two shards in his hands. "Two?"

"One I found with Inuyasha and the other is yours," she answered looking away.

"Thanks," he replied, sticking one in his neck and the other in his nearby Banryuu. "Well, you can eat dinner with us now!"

"It'd better not suck."

"I hope not," he replied, taking her by the hand and leading her outside to the food that awaited them.

Outside the remaining Shichinintai members had set up a picnic style lunch and had a bunch of food sitting out. "I see you got her to corporate," Jakotsu laughed as he watched her sit down beside Bankotsu reluctantly.

"Yeah. Where'd you get all the food?" Bankotsu asked eagerly as he eyed the pile of food before them.

"The meat is compliments of Jakotsu and Renkotsu. The rest is stuff I stole from a once nearby village," Suikotsu answered.

"What do you mean once nearby?" Kagome asked hesitantly.

"I destroyed it," Suikotsu answered with a straight face.

"Hahahah!" Bankotsu laughed, grabbing a plate and piling food onto it. "Let's just eat and get down to business later!"

Poor Kagome...She was stuck with a bunch of blood thirsty killers...for how long? She didn't know.

CHAPTER END

**

* * *

**

**NEXT CHAPTER: Headache**

_Kagome is a little more than the Band of Seven thought they could handle when demons and other people seeking her powers attack in an attempt to steal her away. It's even harder to protect her from danger when she's running to it. When Kagome is stolen away by the reincarnated Thunder Brothers, it's up to Bankotsu to save her. Will he save her before Manten and Hiten get their revenge on the modern day priestess?_**

* * *

**

_Thanks for readingthe secondchapter! Please review and gimme your thoughts, suggestions, and how you liked it. Thanks!_


	3. Headache

_Dude, I just realized this story is sooo not humor bound. Thus, I've changed it's thingy. This is gonna be a pure lovey actiony story! I've also figured out the storyline finally! Horray for that! I know you guys will just love it! By the way...I've only seen what they've shown on cartoon network of Inuyasha. So I'm doing my best with the characters. Personally...I think Bankotsu could be a nice guy if he wanted to. BTW, these chapters are the longest I've ever made. In fact, this chapter here is lostest chapter I've ever written...wow huh?_

_And...Thanks for all the reviews! They made me so happy! Please enjoy!_

**STORY NOTE: Please remember to check my profile for story update dates and news. Also, I wasn't sure what to call Hiten's weapon, so I just gave him a new one! ((giggle))**

**

* * *

**

Disclaimer: I do not own Inuyasha only some of the random things that I make up.

Warnings: OOC (some characters) Rated for later chapters...

Key:_ thought , _"speech"

**

* * *

**

**ReCaPrEcApReCaPrEcApReCaPrEcApReCaPrEcApReCaPrEcApReCaP**

**LAST TIME...**

"The meat is compliments of Jakotsu and Renkotsu. The rest is stuff I stole from a once nearby village," Suikotsu answered.

"What do you mean once nearby?" Kagome asked hesitantly.

"I destroyed it," Suikotsu answered with a straight face.

"Hahahah!" Bankotsu laughed, grabbing a plate and piling food onto it. "Let's just eat and get down to business later!"

Poor Kagome...She was stuck with a bunch of blood thirsty killers...for how long? She didn't know.

**ReCaPrEcApReCaPrEcApReCaPrEcApReCaPrEcApReCaPrEcApReCaP**

**

* * *

**

Catch you Catch Kagome

**CHAPTER THREE: Headache**

After lunch, Bankotsu explained to Kagome his deal. He'd feed and protect her as long as she promised to assist the gang. However, when she agreed, he was a little more than suspicious.

"I didn't give you any idea's yesterday...did I?" Bankotsu asked her, almost glaring.

"Of course not," Kagome replied. _I'll get them one shard and then take off. _"You guys are just being so kind to me."

"Really..." Jakotsu mumbled, eyeing his leader. "If it was me...you'd be dead."

"That's why big brother is not you," Suikotsu explained.

"Protection and food," Kagome mumbled. "That doesn't sound like much..."

"What else do you want?" Bankotsu asked in surprise. "We could probably get you anything."

"I know!" Kagome laughed, standing up and making a fist. _I have to make this as real as possible..._ "You're powers! You do stuff for money...only I don't pay you. You know, I give you my powers you give me yours..."

"Deal!" the Shichinintai leader exclaimed, laughing as well. "You're a pretty tough woman to work with."

"She's got something planned," Renkotsu mumbled into Bankotsu's ear, making sure Kagome couldn't hear.

"I know...But so do we."

"Bloody hell!" Suikotsu screamed, startling the group. Everyone turned to him and found a mob of spider demons in front of them staring at Kagome.

"Is that the girl that can see shards?" the spiders all asked.

"What do you want with her?" Bankotsu inquired, standing up and pushing the said girl behind him. "She's ours, go find your own."

"I have a name!" Kagome mumbled, half scared of the spiders and half scared of Bankotsu. "It's Kagome!"

"Oh sorry," the teen with the braid laughed, glancing back at the frightened girl. "Suikotsu, what's the problem? It's just a couple of spiders."

"Obviously you didn't notice the other demons with the spiders, gesh?" Ginkotsu said staring up at the sky. Sure enough, not only were they surrounded by demons on the ground, but they were surrounded by demon birds in the air.

"The spiders and demon birds have joined in this region to capture the priestess," the spider demons explained. Kagome, hating bugs, moved closer to Bankotsu and grabbed onto the back of his armor.

"The spider leader has a jewel shard," she whispered to him.

"Thanks," he laughed, picking her up and setting her on the human tank, Ginkotsu. "Stay here." He turned to the other three members and smiled at them. "Looks like the spider has a shard." As soon as he finished his sentence, the four men charged into battle and in a matter of minutes the demons were no more.

"Here's the shard," Renkotsu said handing the item to his leader. "What will you do with it."

"Return it to my Banryuu," Bankotsu answered, placing it in his halberd. "The next two shards we find will revive Mukotsu and Kyoukotsu."

"I see," Renkotsu replied, looking depressed. _When will we get the shards?_

"Thanks Kagome," Bankotsu said cheerfully, turning to Ginkotsu. His face dropped when he saw an empty spot on the tank. "That damn girl ran again!" he yelled angrily, marching into the forest after her.

-------------

Kagome was running through the forest as fast as her feet could take her. She'd been given a head start, but still knew they could easily catch her. "I need to hide somewhere," she told herself, ducking into a nearby bush. She sat quietly and when she heard foot steps, stopped her breathing.

"Kagome?" she heard Bankotsu call out. "Come on out! I promise we won't hurt you!" He stepped in front of the bush she was hiding in and looked down at it suspiciously. "I know where you are," he said sitting down beside her hiding spot.

"Listen, I'm trying to be patient with you...But if you leave me no choice, I'll have to be rough. I really don't want to hurt you, but if that's the only way I can get you to understand we're being serious I will."

"Oh my gosh," she breathed. _He's threatening me! He's gonna kill me for sure..._ Without thinking, she stood up out of the bush, made a fist, stared down at the ground and yelled, "I'm sorry!"

"You should be!" Jakotsu growled coming out from behind a tree. "Seriously...you're a disgusting woman, and I don't understand why big brother is being so tolerant of you."

"Dammit," she mumbled to herself. "If only I were stronger..."

"I'll give you one last chance to corporate with us," Bankotsu began, his tone cold and serious. "After that, I'll treat you like every other person that crossed us." Kagome was very quiet, she didn't dare speak. Bankotsu seemed pretty angry, his refusing to look at her was sign enough.

"I'll take her back to the cave," Renkotsu announced, helping her out of the bush and onto Ginkotsu. Once the three were out of sight, Bankotsu stood up and sighed.

"I almost snapped," he mumbled. "That wouldn't be good."

"Yeah, I think we need her alive," Suikotsu replied, not helping his leader feel any better.

"Do you want to take a break before going back to the cave?" Jakotsu asked. "We could watch her until then."

"Would you please?" the younger man replied walking away from his two comrades and deeper into the forest.

Kagome rode in silence on Ginkotsu as she waited for them to arrive at their destination. She looked back just in time to hear a loud scream and then at least a hundred trees crash to the ground. There was no mistaking it...Bankotsu was pissed.

-------------

When the group returned to the cave, Kagome sat it utter silence. She had made Bankotsu pretty mad with her disappearing act, and despite the fact she wanted to try it again, she was afraid of what he might do to her.

"Are you scared?" Renkotsu asked, leaning against the cave wall and sharpening Jakotsu's trick sword. His voice was filled with amusement.

"He'll be okay in a little bit," Suikotsu soothed, trying to calm her nerves. His other half being a doctor, knew that she could get sick if she worried to much. She'd already been through so much. "It'd make things a lot easier if you'd just work with us."

Kagome sighed and stared into the far end of the cave. "I'm sorry," she mumbled softly. _Why the heck am I saying I'M SORRY? They kidnapped me!_

"Are you hungry?" she heard Renkotsu ask, offering a slice of bread. Kagome nodded and hesitantly took it. "It's not poisoned. That's Mukotsu's job and he isn't here." Kagome let out a small chuckle and took a bite. She had worked up quite an appetite after the battle and the running, but didn't dare ask for more.

"Thank you," she said politely, crossing her legs and sitting in silence again. The four men took note of her odd behavior and figured that she'd really had a scare._ I want to go home._ She thought to herself. _I haven't bathed in awhile...I'm stuck with a bunch of killers, I'm hungry, scared, and tired._ That's when Kagome heard something bad, but great in here case.

"Where's the priestess Kagome?" a male voice asked, stomping into the cave. Kagome stood up and looked in his direction. Standing at the mouth of the cave were the Thunder Brothers, Hiten and Manten. "Ah...There you are," Hiten laughed evilly. "Is this the Shichinintai? What a pathetic bunch of humans!" Kagome smiled. She'd much rather deal with the two brothers over the Shichinintai any day. "Hand over the girl and nobody here gets hurt."

"Get lost," Suikotsu demanded.

"That's right," Jakotsu agreed, standing up and taking his sword from Renkotsu. He'd been sleeping when he heard the intruders yelling. "If you leave now we won't spill your blood. Though you are pretty sexy..."

"You can't hurt us!" Manten laughed, as if he'd been told a joke. "We're the Thunder Brothers!" Kagome stood up and slowly walked over to the two brothers without the Shichinintai members noticing...that is, until she was in Hiten's arms.

"Ah, it looks like the little woman came over to us!" Hiten laughed evilly, running out of the cave with her in his arms. "Though you probably should have stayed with them, cuz we're going to kill you." Before Kagome could comprehend what he'd said, she was pulled onto a gray cloud with Manten and flown away.

"That stupid woman!" Jakotsu screamed in anger. "She jumped into the sexy guys arms!"

"We'll have to tell brother Bankotsu as soon as he gets back," Renkotsu told everyone.

"Do we have that long?"

"Gesh...She may be dead already," Ginkotsu told them.

"What'd she do now?" Bankotsu asked, entering the cave slowly and taking note of the distressed men before him.

"Big brother," Suikotsu began. "Kagome's been taken by the Thunder Brothers. She kinda slipped by us and into their hands."

Bankotsu made a fist but kept his cool. "I'll go get her before they kill her," he told them sternly. "Stay here."

-----------

"Out of the frying pan and into the fire," Kagome mumbled to herself when Hiten set her down in a pot in the middle of an abandoned house. "What are you going to do to me?"

"Revenge is sweet brother!" Manten laughed, jumping up and down.

"Oh my g...You're not going to eat me are you?" Kagome asked in horror.

"My dear, yes we are," Hiten told her laughing and throwing carrots into the pot. "Boiling her to death...It just doesn't seem fair. We need to get revenge on that dog demon too."

"But brother...I'm so hungry. Hungry for her fair skin!" Manten told his brother. "Besides...I can use the leftovers to make a hair potion."

"Right...Take off her clothes, they won't be good in the stew. I'll be back with more stuff," Hiten mumbled, leaving the house.

"Heheheh," Manten laughed, turning to the horrified girl.

"You're going to cook me naked?" she cried.

"Revenge is even better if you're embarrassed!"

"Nooo!" Kagome yelled, kicking and screaming as he undressed her. End the end she lost and was tied up, naked, and sitting in a pot full of cold water up to her neck.

"Brother! She has quite a nice body!" Manten laughed when his older brother returned, dumping more food into the pot. "I'll set up the fire." In a matter of minutes, the pot was surrounded in a small fire and the water was slowly warming up.

"Well now woman...You have two choices. You can live and be Manten's woman. Or die as our dinner," Hiten told her, laughing as she tried to cover herself up.

"P-please don't kill me," Kagome pleaded, not liking either choice.

"Is that a yes to being Manten's girl?"

"She's mine," came a unfamiliar voice to the Thunder Brothers, but all too familiar for Kagome. Half the house came crashing down, as if it'd been sliced, and Bankotsu stood in the middle of the mess, glaring at the two demons. "She can see jewel shards and yet you plan to eat her?" he asked casually, walking into what remained of the house. Without looking at the girl in the pot, he swung his Banryuu making the fire disappear and the water cool again. Kagome was happy the water was cool, but unhappy to see Bankotsu, especially when she was in the nude.

"You're the leader of the Shichinintai?" Hiten asked in confusion. "You don't look so tough."

"Wanna test your theory?"

"Let's take this outside," Hiten said smugly, turning to leave with Bankotsu. "Oh, and Manten." He turned to his brother carrying a dull expression. "Don't mess with the girl until I get back."

"Hurry it up! Or maybe you're too afraid?" Bankotsu asked, trying to piss of the older of the two brothers.

"Shut it human!" Hiten replied, following Bankotsu out the other side of the house so that the two waiting wouldn't bother them. Kagome however, felt uneasy again. She had been once again, left alone with the creepy Manten.

---------

"So...You wanna tell me why you're so bent on killing the girl?" Bankotsu asked, as soon as the two men were outside and ready for battle. Bankotsu casually rested his halberd on his shoulder as he spoke to the demon.

"She was involved in our deaths. It's only natural that we'd want revenge on her," Hiten replied, preparing for anything. He'd been defeated by a half demon last time and though he was now fighting a human, Bankotsu's aura was strong. However, Hiten wasn't as weak as he used to be either.

"I know how that is all to well," the Shichinintai leader replied. "So tell me...Who revived you?"

"That's none of your damn business!" Hiten shot back, suddenly getting angry. "We didn't ask to be revived and used as worthless minions. We're lucky we're even allowed to take out our revenge. You will not stop us from what we're trying to achieve!"

"I'm trying to achieve something too," Bankotsu snapped back, getting ready to fight. Suddenly a picture of Kagome flashed in his head, confusing him for a second, but then disappearing as fast as it'd come. "Let's get this started!"

"Fine by me!" Hiten laughed, jumping up in the air. He shot a bolt of thunder at his opponent, catching Bankotsu off guard. However, Bankotsu easily blocked it with his Banryuu, using it as a shield.

"Ohhh...So that's why they call you the Thunder Brothers! That's pretty cool...But, mines cooler!" Bankotsu bragged, jumping up in the air and bringing his halberd down upon Hiten's thunder rod. He expected the demon's slender weapon to snap in half, and was surprised when it didn't. "Hey! It didn't break?"

"Stupid human!" Hiten laughed, swinging a stream of thunder at the teen, only to miss slightly. "The only good thing I got from my new boss is a stronger weapon!"

"That doesn't matter. Mine's still stronger."

"Why do you say that?"

"Because of it's jewel shards."

"You have jewel shards?" Hiten exclaimed. He threw another stream of thunder at Bankotsu, but the Shichinintai leader dodged it again.

"Yeah. I've got five," Bankotsu bragged once more, swinging his Banryuu again and grinning when it collided with Hiten's rod. "I wonder how long your puny rod will be able to stand against my Banryuu's strength..."

"Why do you want to protect her?" Hiten asked as he jumped behind Bankotsu and zapped him in the lower back with his thunder.

Bankotsu knocked the rod away and rubbed the spot where he'd been burned. "Because she can see the jewel shards," he answered, jumping up in the air while spinning his halberd. He came down upon Hiten and knocked the weapon from his hands. "That's for scratching me." Bankotsu swung his Banryuu again, but Hiten was faster and ended up dodging to retrieve his rod.

"I won't fall for that trick again!" he shot angrily. _How the hell am I supposed to defeat this guy? I hate to admit it...but he's too strong!_

"That's fine," Bankotsu laughed. "I have plenty more tricks!" Once again the two weapons collided and Hiten noticed his beginning to crack. He jumped away quickly and flinched slightly when Bankotsu took out at least five trees surrounding them. The two were still in the forest, but because it was such a large forest, they were miles away from the Shichinintai's cave. "This is getting boring," Bankotsu mumbled, stopping for a moment and leaving himself open for Hiten. Hiten of course took this chance, only to end up on the ground with the halberd pressed against his throat.

"Shit..."

"I told you I have many tricks. However, I'm surprised you fell for such an obvious one."

"You won't get away with this."

"I think I will," Bankotsu replied smugly, pushing down on his Banryuu and slicing Hiten's head off. "And I think I just did."

-------------------

"So little woman," Manten laughed, licking his lips as he eyed the girl sitting in the pot. "I just heard the slice of a sword. Me thinks my brother killed your boyfriend."

"No way," Kagome protested, knowing how many shards Bankotsu had and how strong he was. "He could never lose...and he's not my boyfriend!"

"But he just did," Manten laughed again, walking closer again.

"But you said slice. Hiten uses a rod."

"He used your boyfriends big sword."

"Are you so sure about that?" Bankotsu asked as he walked in, resting his Banryuu against his shoulder again. "I'm the only one that can pick up my Banryuu...and I didn't realize I was Kagome's boyfriend..."

"You're not!" Kagome yelled in irritation.

"You!" Manten exclaimed in fear. "You killed my brother?"

"Oh him?" Bankotsu asked lazily. "Yeah...We had a good time, but it had to end. He was just too weak. As are you."

Manten seemed to cower against the Shichinintai leaders words. "Stay back!" he yelled, grabbing Kagome by the neck. "If you make one move, I'll snap her neck like a twig!"

"Is that so?" Bankotsu asked, tossing his giant halberd at Manten. Manten attempted to dodge the huge weapon, but instead failed and lost his head, literally. "Are you ready to apologize?" Bankotsu asked, walking into the house's remains and watching Kagome shift uneasily in the pot. "Stand up and I'll untie you," he told her walking closer to the pot.

"Hell no!" she screamed, dunking farther into the water in an attempt to cover herself again. Manten had seen her naked plently of times and she didn't want Bankotsu to join in on the fun either.

"What's your problem?"

"I'm naked! That's my problem!"

"With the outfit you normally wear...I don't see why me seeing you naked would be much of a difference."

"It's a big difference!"

"Well," he moaned, sitting on the ground and staring at her. "Since you're stuck there, let's talk about running away into the arms of other kidnappers..."

"I don't want too."

"Promise not to do it again?"

"Huh?" Kagome was confused again. _Isn't he still mad about me running away before? _"You said you'd...aren't you mad?"

"I'm not happy," he sighed. "But I'm not mad. I'm feeling a lot better now..."

"Fine...I won't run away anymore. I promise to be a good hostage."

"You're not a hostage," he replied laughing. "Now that that's settled, how do you plan to get out of that pot?"

"I don't know..." she answered.

"What's tied?"

"My arms and legs."

Slowly he stood up, careful not to startled her, but never removing his eyes from her face. "If you let me, I could free your hands and then you could do the rest."

Kagome nodded and then held out her hands. "I won't look," he told her, staring at her hands as he approached and untied them. He turned around and grabbed her clothes as she untied her feet. "Get dressed." While she was dressing, he retrieved his halberd from the dead body of Manten and waited patiently for her to finished. Though it was tempting to watch her, he didn't give into the urge.

Once Kagome was fully dressed, she followed Bankotsu closely as they headed out of the house's remains and towards the cave. It was nearly dark and Kagome was exhausted, that much was obvious when she began to stumble over tiny rocks. "Ouch!" she cried, when she tripped over a large twig.

"Didn't you see that there?" Bankotsu asked, almost teasing seeing as she didn't fall.

"Guess not," she replied yawning.

"You must be tired. Want me to carry you?" Kagome nodded and held on tight as the older teen picked her up into his arms and continued through the forest and to the cave. By the time they were in the cave, she was fast asleep in his arms. He didn't want to disturb her and instead he set her down and laid beside her, wrapping his arms around her waist and pulling her closer to his chest.

CHAPTER END

**

* * *

**

**NEXT CHAPTER: Forgive and Forget**

_Bankotsu hurts Kagome and decides to let her return to her friends. When she runs into a demon, he saves her and takes her back with him. Bankotsu returns her to her friends, but something happens, making Kagome run back to her kidnappers for a comfort she couldn't find anywhere else. _

**

* * *

**

_Omg...I loved that fight scene. I think that's the best fight scene I've EVER wrote. Holy crap! I'm glad you wanted it. I was originally not gonna let you see the fight...Anyways, I hoped you liked it! Please review and see you soon!_


	4. Forgive and Forget

_I'm sorry I couldn't update sooner. The day I came on to update, was the same day my internet decided to break. The "lovely" phone company didn't fix it until today...((sigh)) However, THANK YOU so much for the reviews! They made me feel so much better seeing how people really like this fanfic! I love you ALL! ((jumps up and down cheerfully))_

**STORY NOTE: **_I will no longer be able to keep up with my update dates..See profile for reason. And also, if you'd like to see something in this story, please don't hestitate to request it. Suggestions are always helpful, and most of the time I can actuall do them. _

_RATING: This story is actually rated Mature so that I may have any kind of freedom I choose. You know, from head lopping to anything else I feel needed in the story. Kay! _

_This chapters kinda wierd...But, please enjoy._

**

* * *

**

Disclaimer: I do not own Inuyasha only some of the random things that I make up.

Warnings: OOC (some characters) , Rated for later chapters... And...FLUFF, yes..this chap contains a ton of fluff...so get out your...uhh..pillows, for this here fluffy chap if you're a maga fluff hater! Muwhahaha!

Key:_ thought , _"speech"

**

* * *

**

**ReCaPrEcApReCaPrEcApReCaPrEcApReCaPrEcApReCaPrEcApReCaP**

**LAST TIME...**

Once Kagome was fully dressed, she followed Bankotsu closely as they headed out of the house's remains and towards the cave. It was nearly dark and Kagome was exhausted, that much was obvious when she began to stumble over tiny rocks. "Ouch!" she cried, when she tripped over a large twig.

"Didn't you see that there?" Bankotsu asked, almost teasing seeing as she didn't fall.

"Guess not," she replied yawning.

"You must be tired. Want me to carry you?" Kagome nodded and held on tight as the older teen picked her up into his arms and continued through the forest and to the cave. By the time they were in the cave, she was fast asleep in his arms. He didn't want to disturb her and instead he set her down and laid beside her, wrapping his arms around her waist and pulling her closer to his chest.

**ReCaPrEcApReCaPrEcApReCaPrEcApReCaPrEcApReCaPrEcApReCaP**

**

* * *

**

Catch you Catch Kagome

**CHAPTER FOUR: Forgive and Forget**

Kagome woke up again to find herself wrapped in the Shichinintai leaders arms. Only this time it was in a more intimate way. His arms held her gently but protectively as his lips rested against the back of her head. _Why is he holding me like this? _she thought to herself. There was something about him that was making her feel so safe. She was no longer scared, but content. Why was he being so kind to her to begin with? It couldn't really be because he needed her help...could it be? She felt like her heart was melting and she didn't want to move from his embrace ever.

Unknown to Kagome, Bankotsu was also awake, thinking the same thoughts as she. He took a deep breath, taking in the sweet scent of her hair and wanted to keep her in his arms forever. _Forever._ _Why am I doing this? She's just a girl...an annoying one at that. Why does she make me feel so...complete?_ His grip around her waist tightened as he pulled her closer so that his chin rested on the top of her head. _She's quite beautiful really...And it's obvious that stupid Inuyasha has a thing for her. Hasn't he told her? _"Bankotsu?" Kagome asked softly, making his heart skip a beat. He hadn't realized she was awake. _Dammit, I must be losing my touch. I should've known she was awake! _

"Yes?" he replied just as gentle, not wanting to wake the other members.

"Why...are you holding me so close?" _Not that I'm complaining..._

"Does it bother you?" _Idiot! Of course it bothers her..._

"Not really...It's just odd." _..but why am I feeling like this? Don't I like Inuyasha?_

"I see...Do you want me to stop?" _I don't want to let go._

"If we moved, it'd probably wake the others." _Inuyasha doesn't make me feel like this..._

"Yeah, they wake up at any sound of movement," he laughed softly. _You're so warm._

"So it's alright for awhile longer." _I don't want this to end._

"Yeah, just a few more minutes..."_ I don't want this to end._

"At it again eh?" Jakotsu laughed, his voice ringing throughout the cave, causing the peaceful couple to jump up. "Why don't we just leave you two alone?"

"Jakotsu! Why'd you have to ruin their moment?" Suikotsu asked, sounding annoyed as he sat up.

"Come on...Moment? The girl obviously wants to escape!"

"You're an idiot Jakotsu," Renkotsu mumbled from his spot against the wall.

"Gesh..." Ginkotsu agreed.

"Look at this? Doesn't she look- Holy crap!" Jakotsu exclaimed staring at the couple with wide eyes. Kagome had her arms around the Shichinintai leaders neck, looking very innocent, while Bankotsu had his arms around her waist and was glaring at his fellow comrades.

"It was nothing," the teen replied, letting Kagome go. "You guy's ruin everything," he sighed.

"What was that?" Jakotsu asked, sitting beside Bankotsu.

"Nothing."

"Are you sure...It sounded like you were enjoying yourself."

"What if I was?"

"I-I have to...uhmmm," Kagome stuttered turning a bright red.

"You need something Kagome?" Bankotsu asked, not realizing what was wrong with her.

"I'll be outside...Getting some air," she finally told them, standing up and quickly leaving the cave.

"Oh crap...I can't believe I said that!" Bankotsu shouted, slapping himself in his head once realizing what'd happened.

"So you do like her..." Renkotsu said, sounding very interested. "Is that why you were so nice to her?"

"That's why you got so mad when she ran away," Jakotsu mumbled nodding his head. "Because you wouldn't be able to have her if she ran off. You horny toad..."

"Stop it! It's not like that!" Bankotsu shouted, slightly turning pink. "I'll go check on her." Bankotsu followed after Kagome and found her sitting outside with her head in her lap. "You okay?" he asked cautiously before sitting down beside her.

"Yes," she mumbled, her voice muffled by her skirt. _Did he really mean what he said?_

"Are you sure you're okay?" _Judging from the way she acted...I guess she liked it too. _A smile formed on his lips as he stared at the embarrassed girl. "Kagome?"

Kagome looked up when she heard him say her name. He hadn't called her by her name very much. "Yes?" she replied, sounding uneasy.

"Ignore them. They're just silly."

"Must be," she answered, looking away.

"I'm glad you didn't run off again."

"I promised you didn't I?"

"Yep," he said softly, still watching her. He gently took hold of her chin and turned her face towards him. "I really appreciate it." _Maybe if I get closer I can..._

"Yeah..." she mumbled, now in a daze. She watched him eagerly as he leaned in, as if he was about to kiss her...

"KISS!" Jakotsu had followed them outside and was waiting for the right time to ruin their moment again. Just for the soul purpose of irritating Suikotsu. When the cross-dresser had startled the two, he caused Bankotsu to miss Kagome's lips entirely and instead he kissed her on the cheek. The two however, were still turning shades of red, though Bankotsu wasn't nearly as red as Kagome.

"Did you need something?" Bankotsu asked his friend, now sounding annoyed. "Can't you see we're busy?"

"Now your busy?" Jakotsu gasped. "Not in front of the cave!"

"Jakotsu!"

---------------

"Poor Inuyasha," Miroku mumbled as he stood in the door way of Kaede's hut. Beside him was Sango carrying a sleeping and teary eyed Shippo in her arms. "He's been looking for Kagome non-stop."

"It seems that the Shichinintai wanted her for something. I think they used an herb that destroys a demons scent glands," Sango told Miroku, giving him her hypothesis.

"How did you come to that conclusion?"

"I'm a demon slayer remember? When it wears off, he will have forgotten her scent along with the Shichinintai's."

"That could be a problem...Do you think she's-"

"Yes," Sango interrupted. "I know she's alive." Kirara, in her small form, walked between Sango and Miroku, yawning and scratching at her face.

"Was Kirara not affected?"

"She's fine."

"Then why hasn't she picked up Kagome's scent and what of Shippo?"

"Shippo is just a child, if Kagome is to far away he couldn't smell her."

"Then what's Kirara's excuse?"

"She has a cold."

"That sucks," Miroku moaned, grabbing Sango's butt at random. "Awwww..."

"Miroku! You disgrace monks everywhere!" Sango screamed, slapping the monk hard across the face. "I'm going to see if Inuyasha's all right. Stay here with Shippo," Sango ordered, placing the fox demon in the monk's arms.

"That's a real woman for ya..." Miroku sighed, watching her butt twitch as she walked away.

Inuyasha was sitting in a tree on the outside of the village pouting when Sango found him. "You're not just going to sit up there forever are you?" she asked, leaning against the tree.

"Until my scent comes back. Or maybe being up this high I'll hear her screams," Inuyasha answered, crossing his arms and glaring at the demon slayer on the ground. "What about you?"

"I can't do anything," Sango replied. "Kirara's got a cold and when your scent comes back, you'll have forgotten their smell."

"W-WHAT?" Inuyasha exclaimed, falling out of the tree.

"Well...After a month everything will return completely...but..."

"Kagome!" Inuyasha screamed, running into the forest to look for her again. "Damn the Band of Seven!"

---------

Kagome was back in the cave glaring at the wall when Bankotsu returned, hoping to finished what they'd started outside the cave. Of course, he'd never tell her that. "Kagome? Are you okay?" he asked hesitantly, once catching sight of her glare.

"Just stay away," she snapped. "I don't want to talk to you." _I can't believe it...I fell for his seduction trick. _"I said I'd help you. I never agreed to being your toy."

"What?" the older boy asked sounding confused. "I never asked you to be my toy."

"Exactly," Kagome snapped again, this time turning to him. "You just went right on along doing it!" _Everyone plays with my heart to get me to stay with them. I shouldn't have ever thought him any different. _

"Holy crap! We were fine just a minute ago! What the hell happened?"

"I heard the other guys talking," she began, making Bankotsu's eyes widen. "They were chatting about how your plan to romance me and keep me here with you guys was working perfectly. I should have never doubted Inuyasha!"

"Inuyasha?" Bankotsu growled, equally irritated. "A lot of help he did for you. He's the one who was supposed to find you right? He did a great job protecting you up and til now huh? Oh yes, Inuyasha's love is true." Bankotsu's words were dripping with sarcasm. "I bet he's told you he loves you lots of times."

"Be quiet," Kagome cried, tears beginning to form at her eyes.

"No, because he wants the same thing I want. We need your powers and you're going to help us! As for your romancing crap, you're right. I was just screwing with you. But you're the stupid girl that fell for it."

"Brother Bankotsu!" Suikotsu yelled walking into the cave. "I think you've said enough." Bankotsu and Suikotsu both looked at Kagome who had her head in her lap again, this time crying softly. "You've made her cry."

"Whatever," Bankotsu replied turning away. "Let her go. I don't want to see her disgusting face anymore."

"Wasn't it you that said we should treat her with care?"

"I changed my mind. She's a stupid priestess, nothing more. Get her out before I kill her, unless you don't mind."

"I don't need help out," Kagome mumbled, standing up. "I'll leave on my own." With that, Kagome left the cave and entered the large forest.

"Are you sure?" Suikotsu asked Bankotsu, wanting to make sure he wouldn't regret his choice later.

"I don't know," Bankotsu answered, watching Kagome disappear into the trees.

-----------

"Stupid guys," Kagome mumbled as she wandered through the demon infested forest. "All it took was a silly little fight for him to let me go." She only began talking to herself when she was sure they couldn't hear. She stopped and looked around, trying to figure out where she was. Sadly, she was lost. "Why me?" she cried, sounding annoyed. Slowly she sat on the ground and stared at the grass beneath her. "Why am I feeling sorry for myself...? When I get back, I'm going to give Inuyasha a piece of my mind! He'll sit more times than he's ever sat before!"

She noticed the air was becoming quiet and realized she was totally vulnerable to an attack. She hadn't her weapon nor her backpack and was completely alone, or so she thought.

"Poor pitiful human. I feel such sorrow in your aura," an eerie voice mumbled from the tree tops. Kagome looked up just in time to see a strange creature staring down at her before it jumped down and pinned her to the dirt. "Let me taste your sorrow..."

"Get off of me!" Kagome screamed, trying to get the monkey demon off. She succeeded, but not without getting hurt. As the demon rolled off of her, it left a deep slash in her shoulder. "Go away," Kagome told it, clutching her bleeding wound.

"But you're so scared now," the monkey laughed. "It smells so good." Kagome picked up a few rocks and began throwing them at the demon, in an attempt to make it leave her alone.

"You're not going to eat me today!" she told it, trying to hide the fear in her voice as she stood up and began running.

"I'm hungry!" the demon roared and began chasing after her at the same speed. "You can't run for long silly human!" Kagome finally stopped and turned her pursuer.

"I won't run anymore."

"Good!" As the monkey demon leapt at her, she held out her hands and purified it as it touched her fingers. "AHHHH!" it screamed, jumping away and dashing into the forest.

"It hurts," Kagome mumbled as she fell to the ground. The wound in her shoulder wasn't very deep, but the demon had poisoned her, leaving her unable to move it and in incredible pain. The forest around her began to spin as she fell back into warm arms.

---------------

"Are you feeling any better?" Suikotsu asked Kagome when she opened her eyes and sat up. She was sitting in the cave again, surrounded by all the Shichinintai but Bankotsu.

"What happened?" she asked, looking around in confusion.

"You were poisoned by that monkey demon, but you're okay now," Suikotsu replied, wrapping her arm up carefully. "Fell better?"

"Yes," she replied, looking at them all in awe. They all seemed...sad? "Who saved me?"

"Me," came a familiar voice. She turned around and found Bankotsu standing in the back of the cave. "I'm sorry for how I...spoke to you."

"That's fine," Kagome replied, though her voice was cold. "Why'd you bring me back?"

"You were hurt," he replied plainly.

"Didn't you want to kill me?"

Bankotsu didn't know what to reply. He felt bad for her getting hurt and he didn't know why. He didn't know why he was feeling any of those feelings. All he wanted was for her to smile again. "I will personally return you to your friends," he told her. "Then I will never bother you again."

Bankotsu did as he promised and escorted Kagome to Kaede's village in silence. "Thanks," she mumbled as he turned to leave. He didn't respond to her and instead disappeared into the forest again. "Inuyasha!" Kagome laughed as she ran into the village and to Kaede's hut. When she entered she was greeted by all of her friends, everyone...except the one she'd wanted to see. "Where's Inuyasha?"

"Uh..." Miroku muttered not knowing what to say. "He's looking for you, that's it." Miroku knew something the others didn't.

"I still can't find her!" Inuyasha screamed, entering the hut. When he saw Kagome he smiled and almost tackled her to the ground. "What happened? Did they hurt you? Where is the jewel shard?"

"I'm fine," Kagome laughed happily. Already forgiving the half demon. "I got attacked by a demon, that's all."

"Will you be able to look for shards tomorrow?"

"What...?" Kagome was a bit surprised. She was tired and wanted to go home. She'd just been kidnapped for goodness sakes!

"Inuyasha," Sango asked. "Where are the three shards we found?"

Inuyasha was silent, he didn't know what to say. "They're somewhere safe," he replied. "Now that I know Kagome is alright...I'll go make sure they're still there." As soon as the half demon left, the two girls turned to Miroku.

"What is he hiding?" Sango asked, almost sounding angry.

Shippo ran into the hut squealing when he heard Kagome was back. "Kagome!" he laughed, jumping into her arms. "I missed you! What's wrong...?" Kagome was looking at Miroku sadly, waiting for his answer.

"It seems that yesterday...Inuyasha found out that Kikiyo could be completely revived with the shikon jewel. He's willing to give up being a human or a full demon for her to be alive again. He also said...That when it is complete, he'll be happy to be rid of Kagome," Miroku explained. Kagome's gaze dropped to the ground.

"He's using me..." she mumbled softly. "Just like everyone else."

"Kagome?" Shippo asked sadly. "You're not going to leave us again...are you?"

"I'm afraid so," she replied, holding back her tears. "I have somewhere to be right now." She turned to leave the hut, happy that nobody was trying to stop her. "Tell Inuyasha I hate him."

Kagome left the hut and began running as fast as she could again. She was escaping again, but this time she was trying to escape her broken heart. She didn't know where she was going. She didn't care...anywhere was better than near Inuyasha. When she stopped running she realized she was standing in front of the cave occupied by the Shichinintai. Slowly she walked in and found Bankotsu inside holding her backpack up in the air. "Bankotsu?" she asked softly.

"Kagome?" he asked, turning around in surprise. "What are you doing here?"

Kagome couldn't hold back anymore, she ran into his arms and broke into tears as soon as she felt him embrace her. This is where she wanted to be...in Bankotsu's arms.

CHAPTER END

**

* * *

**

**NEXT CHAPTER: The Shard Seekers**

_Kagome offically joins Bankotsu and they set out to find shards to revive the other two members of the Shichinintai. When Inuyasha hears of Kagome's betrayal, he isn't exactly thrilled and attempts to gain her trust again. But with Bankotsu becoming so over protective, will he get a chance?_

**

* * *

**

_Because school has become stupid...I don't have as much time as I used too...Bleh..So, I'll try to update whenever I get the chance. Please review and I'll continue to give!_


	5. The Shard Seekers

_((stares in complete awe)) ...120 reviews...OMG...I've like never gotten so many...I LOVE YOU ALL! Thanks a bunch for all the wonderful reviews and tips. Here's the next chapter, please enjoy!_

_**STORY NOTE: I reloaded this chapter...cuz I found a few errors in it. Sorry for those.**_

**

* * *

**Disclaimer: I do not own Inuyasha only some of the random things that I make up.

Warnings: OOC (some characters) , Rated for later chapters...

Key:_ thought , _"speech" **flashback**

**

* * *

**

**ReCaPrEcApReCaPrEcApReCaPrEcApReCaPrEcApReCaPrEcApReCaP**

**LAST TIME... **

Kagome left the hut and began running as fast as she could again. She was escaping again, but this time she was trying to escape her broken heart. She didn't know where she was going. She didn't care...anywhere was better than near Inuyasha. When she stopped running she realized she was standing in front of the cave occupied by the Shichinintai. Slowly she walked in and found Bankotsu inside holding her backpack up in the air. "Bankotsu?" she asked softly.

"Kagome?" he asked, turning around in surprise. "What are you doing here?"

Kagome couldn't hold back anymore, she ran into his arms and broke into tears as soon as she felt him embrace her. This is where she wanted to be...in Bankotsu's arms.

**ReCaPrEcApReCaPrEcApReCaPrEcApReCaPrEcApReCaPrEcApReCaP**

**

* * *

**

Catch you Catch Kagome

**CHAPTER FIVE: The Shard Seekers**

"Kagome, what's wrong?" theShichinintai leader asked in confusion. "Why did you come back?" _I thought she hated me..._

"Inuyasha," she sobbed, burring her face into his chest. "He's just like everyone else, he doesn't care about me at all."

Bankotsu scowled at her words. "Is he," he growled angrily, his arms tightening around her waist. _Didn't that demon love her? _Suddenly, his expression became soft as he looked down at her. "So...Why'd you come back to me?"

Kagome pulled away slowly and whipped the tears from her cheeks. "You said you'd do something for me if I helped you. I don't want to be used anymore," she replied, staring down at the ground. "Besides, you're really the only other person I can trust to keep Inuyasha away from me."

"What about Kouga?"

Kagome turned away, continuing to stare at the ground. "I came to you. Is that bad?"

"No," he laughed, watching Kagome with interest. "You help us and I'll keep Inuyasha away." _This time I'll win your heart. _"And I'll give you anything else, just ask."

"Thank you."

"I wasn't lying."

"What...?"

Bankotsu turned his head, wondering his he should continue his statement. "Nevermind."

"Okay..."

"Oh, and here's your bag." Bankotsu handed the yellow backpack to the raven haired girl and watched her eyes fill with delight.

"Thank you so much!" she squealed, jumping up and hugging him around the neck. "Now I don't have to go back and get it!" _He's so perfect! Except for the slight obsession with killing people..._

"Nope," replied the Shichinintai leader wrapping his arm around her waist and picking her up. "And you'll never have to worry about that Inuyasha again." _You're mine. I won't mess up again. _"Are you hungry?"

"Yeah!" she replied, wrapping her legs around his waist as he carried her deeper into the cave.

"Then we'll tell the guys to throw something together for ya."

---------

"Holy mother load!" Jakotsu exclaimed when he saw Bankotsu carrying Kagome in on his back. "She's back already?"

"Back already?" Suikotsu asked in confusion. A smile appeared on his face once he saw Kagome with Bankotsu. "I see. Welcome back Kagome." The remaining Shichinintai were in the back of the cave, cleaning up their things when Bankotsu walked in on them.

"So tell me," Kagome began as the Shichinintai leader set her on the ground. "Why do you act so weird lately?"

"After the jewel shards disappeared, Suikotsu's two halves made peace and agreed to work together as a whole," Bankotsu explained. "So, he's been quite odd."

"Tell me," Renkotsu asked, who was currently holding some stolen blankets. "Does this mean we aren't leaving?"

"What's he mean?" Kagome asked in confusion. "You're leaving?"

"Well," Bankotsu began, trying to think of a quick way to sum it all up. "The only reason we stayed was to get you. When you left, we didn't need to stay here anymore. However, now that you're back, we're staying again."

"Are you serious?" Jakotsu practically screamed. "I just put all those blankets outside and now you're telling me to go bring them back in and set up the beds?"

"That's about right."

"Fine," Jakotsu growled, leaving the cave to retrieve all the things he'd thrown out. "Crazy big brother..."

"Gesh...What shall I do?" Ginkotsu asked, sounding bored. He was currently being loaded with all of the teams needed items.

"Well...I guess Suikotsu'll have to unload for you."

"Very well big brother," Suikotsu replied, still happy to see Kagome with his leader.

"And Renkotsu!"

"Yes?" Renkotsu asked. He had placed the blankets down, created a bed and was currently waiting for orders.

"You can...do something."

"Okay. What about you?"

"I'm going to cook us all something to eat!" The entire group froze when they heard Bankotsu say that. "Hey hey hey! My food's safe!"

"But it doesn't taste safe," Suikotsu replied as he began removing random items that Renkotsu commonly used.

"Why don't you have Kagome cook, gesh?" Ginkotsu suggested.

"No no no, she's tired and a girl! She doesn't have to work!"

"I'm just a girl am I?" Kagome asked, sounding irritated.

"Ooh, Bankotsu got the heel!" Jakotsu laughed as he entered the cave just in time to see Kagome kick the older teen in the shin. "Hahahah!"

"Geez, Kagome! Are you sure you didn't come back just to beat me up?" Bankotsu asked, pretending to be hurt.

"Oh course not, and I know you're not really sad. Let's go make something to eat," Kagome growled playfully as she headed towards the caves exit.

"Alright alright..." Bankotsu moaned following her. "But I do the cooking." As he passed Kagome, she noticed something very strange. One of the shikon jewel shards in his neck had been purified.

--------

"She did WHAT?" Inuyasha screamed once Shippo told him of Kagome's whereabouts. "I've been looking for her non-stop and you're telling me she just got up and left?"

"That's right," Sango replied. "She's not to happy with you using her like that. You should have been more thoughtful."

"What are you talking about? I was looking for her the whole time! I didn't even talk to her!" Inuyasha snapped, sitting down and crossing his legs. "I can't believe she came and then went back to those losers."

"Wait..." Sango muttered, realizing something very unusual. "What do you mean you never talked to her?"

"Just like I said, I never saw her come back!"

"But Inuyasha," Shippo insisted. "You came back and were acting weird about the jewel shards."

"I've got them right here," Inuyasha replied, holding out the three purified shards.

"Then...Who was..." Sango mumbled. "Where's Miroku?" Shippo jumped out of Sango's arms and ran off in search of the monk.

"What's going on?" the half demon asked, sensing that something was wrong.

"Inuyasha, you came and asked Kagome if she was all better. When she said she was, you wanted her to look for shards for you. Miroku told us that you've been giving the shards to Kikiyo so you can revive her completely. So Kagome got sad and left." the demon slayer explained.

"I wasn't there...Was it Naraku?"

"Maybe...But why would Miroku do something like that?"

"Guys!" Shippo yelled, running towards his two friends. "I can't find Miroku anywhere!"

"I'll go get Kagome!" Inuyasha shouted as he stood up quickly. "You two go fine Miroku and we'll meet back at the village." As soon as Inuyasha finished his sentence, he headed into the forest. "This time I will find you Kagome!"

---------

Kagome watched Bankotsu in awe as he tried to cook. All of the other guys had tainted shards like normal, so why was one of Bankotsu's pure? _That would explain his strange behavior..._ she thought to herself. _But...the other two are tainted, he could snap at any moment. _The raven haired girl slowly began backing up, suddenly fearing for her life. Naturally, Bankotsu noticed this right away.

"Is there something wrong?" he asked, setting down the bowl of mashed vegetables. He glanced down at his neck and sighed. "Yeah, one of my shards are..."

"What happened?" she asked, still frightened. Bankotsu looked away, as if her fear of him was causing him pain.

"The day I kidnapped you, is the same day that all my Banryuu's shards disappeared..."

(flashback)

**"We will kidnap the girl Kagome today," Bankotsu explained to everyone. "She can see the shards and since those shikon jewel shards are the root of our life and powers, we could always use more." The Shichinintai were sitting in their cave in a circle, holding a small meeting.**

**"How do you plan to kidnap her brother Bankotsu," Renkotsu asked. "She's always with the half demon Inuyasha."**

**"Bankotsu," Jakotsu interrupted. "Before we get started on the plan...Why do we need that girl?"**

**"She can see the shards."**

**"So? There has to be some other reason. Why don't we just go over and take her, why plan?"**

**"I don't want her harmed." Bankotsu's words caught everyone by surprise. **

**"Are you feeling okay?" Jakotsu asked worriedly, standing up and checking his leaders forehead for a fever. "You seem okay..." **

**Suddenly, Bankotsu grabbed his neck where the jewel shards were and growled in pain. "The hell?" he barked, looking at the blood on his hands when he removed them, along with one of his jewel shards.**

**"Bankotsu, you're bleeding!" Jakotsu hollered, running over to the teen again. "What's wrong?" When Jakotsu looked at the shard in Bankotsu's hands his eye became wide in surprise. "It's-"**

**"Purified," the Shichinintai leader finished, as he replaced the shard in his neck. "Everyone. Forget about this...On with the plan."**

(end of flashback)

"I don't know what happened," he replied, watching Kagome with interest. "But for some reason. I don't want to see you harmed."

Kagome felt her fear disappearing as she realized what was happening. _It's because of that one shard that he doesn't want to hurt me... _"Well...As long as I'm safe," she replied cheerfully.

"Now, let's cook this mess!" Bankotsu laughed, staring down at all the food he'd crammed into a bowl. He picked it up to set it on a fire he'd just started when...

"Wait...Bankotsu! I sense a jewel shard!" Kagome exclaimed, making the older teen drop the bowl on the fire, putting it out.

"Where is it?"

"In that direction," Kagome replied, pointing west. _That's near Kaede's village..._

"Men!" Bankotsu yelled into the cave. Seconds later the four Shichinintai members emerged from the cave ready for battle. "It seems Kagome has found a shard for us. Let's go!" Bankotsu picked up Kagome and jumped onto Ginkotsu along with the others and the six headed towards the village. "Oh here," Bankotsu laughed handing Kagome her bow and her arrows. "You may be needing that."

-----------

"Kirara, hurry! We have to get back to the village before it does!" Sango exclaimed. She was up in the air with Shippo riding Kirara as the three tried desperately to reach the village. Below them was a rather large demon, like nothing ever seen before. It was large and snake like, though it had four legs with monstrous claws and a face resembling a cat. However, the demon itself wasn't the scary part, it was the monk standing on top of it's head controlling it. It was Miroku. "What is that monk doing?"

"Oh no! He's reached the village!" Shippo cried sadly, as the demon exited the forest, only to run into an angry Inuyasha.

"Wind Scar!" Inuyasha screamed, slashing his sword at the demon. "What the hell?" The giant demon turned away and blocked the blast with it's body, appearing to only feel a tickle. "Miroku! What are you doing?"

"He can't hear you," Sango explained as Kirara landed. "The demon is controlling him. I think that's what made him tell us that lie."

"Then what was posing as me?"

"Those!" Shippo cried. Suddenly, the demon opened it's mouth and thousands of tiny snakes jumped out, taking shape of random objects.

"Stay back!" Inuyasha ordered. "Wind Scar!" he roared, taking out a hundred of the tiny demons. However, his efforts were in vain, seeing as more only returned.

"Having troubles?" Inuyasha heard someone laughed. He turned to find the Shichinintai and Kagome watching the fight as they emerged from the forest.

"Bankotsu," Kagome whispered. "There's a shard in the giant demon, and a shard in one of the tiny demons."

"Suikotsu, help Kagome find the second shard. Everyone else, attack the large target!" Bankotsu ordered, rushing into battle with his team.

"Kagome!" Inuyasha screamed, as he watched her follow Suikotsu into the crowd of tiny demons. He tried to follow her, but was instead attacked by the many demons around him. "Leave me the hell alone!" he screamed, hacking himself a path and then following the two into the forest. Bankotsu and his team however, were already fighting the giant demon, meaning Bankotsu was totally unaware of Inuyasha.

"Miroku!" Sango yelled, trying to catch the monks attention as she circled around above him on Kirara.

"Sango!" he laughed, jumping onto Kirara when she came close enough. "Thanks for the ride," he whispered evilly into Sango's ear when he sat down with his arms around her.

"Miroku, what are you doing?" Sango asked in surprise as he pulled her off, making the two of them fall to the ground.

"Sango!" Shippo cried, running over to his fallen comrade. "Miroku why'd you do that?"

"Why don't you shut up and do something about it?" Miroku snapped as he stood up and brushed off his robes.

"Damn you Miroku! Please snap out of it!" Sango exclaimed, getting up and tossing her boomerang at the monk.

"Is that the best you can do?" he asked, knocking it away with his staff.

"Shippo, he's still under the demons control. He won't stop until it's dead."

"Then let's keep him busy until Bankotsu kills it!" Shippo told her, getting ready to fight, even though he knew he could never harm his friend.

"I'd like to see you both keep me busy for more than a minute!" Miroku snickered, charging at Shippo.

However, Bankotsu and company were busy with the giant demon and weren't doing so great. Ginkotsu and Renkotsu were busy keeping the tiny demons at a minimum, while Jakotsu and Bankotsu were attacking the large demon.

"It won't die!" Jakotsu shouted, throwing his swords many blades. "It's like it has some sort of armor!" The huge demon swung it's claws at Jakotsu, but missed as Jakotsu took the opportunity to jump onto it's arms, run to it's face, and begin hacking again.

"Good work!" Bankotsu explained, jumping onto the snakes body and taking out the many small demons that attempted to stop him. Finally, when he reached the head he drove his Banryuu into the demons skull. "Renkotsu!"

Renkotsu left Ginkotsu to deal with the tiny demons and headed towards the large demon, burning everything in his path. "What is it big brother?"

"I have it paralyzed for the moment. Why don't you burn it to a crisp."

"Gladly," Renkotsu agreed. Within minutes, the demon had been reduced to a large pile of ash. Bankotsu began digging through the remains and smiled happy when he pulled out a jewel shard.

"Found it."

--------------

"Ugh..." Miroku, mumbled falling to his knees. Sango allowed herself to fall to the ground and pant heavily. It was hard work not hurting your friend when they were trying to kill you.

"Sango are you alright?" Shippo cried sadly, as he ran over to the fallen girl. She had bruises all over her body from Miroku's staff, while he only got away with a few.

"I'll be fine," she replied. "I just need to rest."

"Sango!" Miroku exclaimed when he sat up and looked at her. "What have I done!" He quickly rushed over to the wounded girl and picked her up in his arms. "Are you okay?"

"I'll live," she replied glaring. "But you owe me one."

"Yes, I'll give you my life!" he replied, carrying her off to the village and rubbing her bottom.

"MIROKU YOU PERVERT!"

SLAP!

"How can she hit that sexy monk?" Jakotsu asked aloud as he watched them head towards the village. "He puts up with too much."

"Whatever," Bankotsu mumbled, placing the shard in a safe place. "When Kagome gets back with the other shard, we can revive Mukotsu and Kyoukotsu."

"Speaking off which," Jakotsu laughed looking around. "Where's Inuyasha?"

"He followed Suikotsu and Kagome into the woods," Renkotsu told them.

"What?" Bankotsu yelled. Without another word, he was gone and running after Kagome.

"He's in love..." Jakotsu said sadly. "With a horrible woman."

----------

Kagome was following Suikotsu closely as they trailed the demon containing the jewel shard. "Stay close," Suikotsu told her as he began slicing the demons up. Kagome kept her eye on the tiny demon and watched it separate from the crowd and run off in another direction. At this rate, it would escape. When the crazy doctor wasn't looking, Kagome snuck away and chased after the demon.

"I found you!" she laughed, when she cornered it against a rock wall. Slowly she pulled out her arrow and pointed it at the demon. In one swift shot she killed it and watched happily as it fell to the ground. "Yeah!" she laughed, running over to the shard and picking it up, instantly purifying it.

CRUNCH!

Kagome turned slowly and found five more tiny demons behind her. "Oh crap," she mumbled, getting her bow ready. She quickly took aim and took out two of the demons before they decided to attack her. However, now they knew she wasn't going to give them back the shard without a fight.

"Go away!" she cried, as one grabbed onto her foot. She took on of her arrows and began to stab it in the head until it let go and regrouped with the other three. "Try and get me!" she yelled at it, as she shot more arrows, this time killing all three.

"That's some pretty serious fighting," she heard a familiar voice say softly. Slowly she turned and came face to face with Inuyasha. "Kagome please," he mumbled when she began backing up.

"Just go back to Kikiyo!" she yelled, holding back her tears.

"Listen, that's not true! It wasn't me and Kikiyo has nothing to do with this."

"Liar," Kagome spat, staring down at the ground. "I think about the way you've treated me up until now. You always liked her better, and I guess I could deal with that. But...when I find out you're just using me. You don't even care about my friendship?"

"All that isn't true! Kagome I-"

"That's enough!" Bankotsu yelled, jumping down in front of Kagome and glaring at the half demon. "I thought you ran after Kagome. Just leaving your friends to fight huh? Why should she believe you after that show you just gave us?"

"Shut up Bankotsu!" Inuyasha snapped. "I just need to talk to her!"

"She's not yours to talk with," Bankotsu shot back, grabbing his Banryuu. "If you don't leave right now...Then you'll have to fight me."

"Fine by me," Inuyasha replied, pulling out his Tetsusaiga. "I'll be leaving with Kagome today, you can't stop me."

"I think I can."

"Go ahead and try!"

Bankotsu pushed Kagome behind him and ran forward swinging his halberd. Inuyasha did the same and soon their swords were clashing together. Their small fight seemed to go on forever. They were fighting in a small place, and neither wanted to harm Kagome, so they were keeping their fight simple. After awhile, Bankotsu became tired of the routine and jumped up in the air, spinning his Banryuu. When he came down, he was able to knock Inuyasha off his feet.

"Inuyasha you bastard!" Bankotsu yelled, dropping his weapon and punching the half demon in the jaw. "Leave Kagome alone!"

"She's mine!" Inuyasha yelled back, also dropping his sword and punching the Shichinintai leader in the stomach.

"Just back off!" Bankotsu replied, kicking Inuyasha away and holding in stomach. "She's mine now." Suddenly, a huge blast separated the two opponents, giving Bankotsu a chance to grab Kagome and retreat. _I'll need to thank Ginkotsu later, _he thought to himself as he headed towards the cave.

"Kagome!" Inuyasha screamed, looking around frantically. All he could see was smoke, and he already knew she was gone. "Kagome..."

---------

When Bankotsu and Kagome reached the cave, they found they were the only one's there. "The others must be on there way," Bankotsu mumbled to himself as he carried Kagome inside and set her down on one of the newly made beds. "Jakotsu did a good job making beds out of blankets."

"Here's the shard," Kagome laughed handing the shikon jewel shard she'd taken from the demon to Bankotsu. "That took me a lot of work to get!" she told him. "So you'd better be thankful!"

"I am. However, it would have been easier if you'd stayed with Suikotsu."

"And let it get away?"

"Hahah..." The Shichinintai leader sat down beside Kagome. "Kagome," he mumbled, causing her to blush.

"Yes?" she asked softly. _Why am I blushing? He doesn't like me..._

"Before...When we were fighting...all that stuff I said. I was lying."

"What are you talking about?" Kagome asked, becoming confused.

"Before I wasn't screwing with you. I just...didn't want you to use it all against me, so I lied. I meant everything I did and said. I like you. I like you more than you could ever imagine."

CHAPTER END

**

* * *

**

**NEXT CHAPTER: Beneath the Starry Sky**

_Bankotsu takes Kagome with him to find Urasue. When they find her she revives Mukotsu and Kyoukotsu. Mukotsu isn't to happy about Kagome and Bankotsu being together, but there's not much he can do about it. But now, Urasue has a plan to get Bankotsu and Kagome closer...but why is she helping the two love birds? And what does Mukotsu have to do with it?_

**

* * *

**

_How'd ya'll like that chapter? Me thinks it was fluffy...teehee. Anyways, I really hope I don't disappoint anyone...the real storyline will be poping up in a few chapters...so...I hope you'll like it. Well...please continue to review and I'll see what I can do! ((giggles))_


	6. Beneath the Starry Sky

_Phantom of the Opera! Lalalalalalala...Oh yeah! I get to do flag work to that awesome song! Weeee! Anyways...How are ya'll? Oh what the heck...Here's a new chapter! Lets talk with some reviewers?_

* * *

**Melantao:** _I'm glad my story made you feel better! Don't let volleyball kill you! (I hate volleyball like Jakotsu hates girls, but I just don't like playing it. XP) I'm happy you liked the fight scene, though it wasn't much...Many more of them to come tho!_

**Ayome:** _Hey...That would be cute! I'll have Jakotsu sing that sometime! Thanks a bunch!_

**Sesshomaruobsessed:** _You sure ask a lot of questions. Lol, but I like that! XP In fact...one of your questions gave me an idea for the story! Bankotsu will flip out in a later chapter tho. THANKIES!_

* * *

**STORY NOTE: I thought I'd point this out...Suikotsu is in his happy form. You know, the one where the good doctor is in and he's so gosh-dangit sexy! And his hair is down and he looks...did I say sexy? Well I'll say it again! Okay..dats all.** **

* * *

**

Disclaimer: I do not own Inuyasha only some of the random things that I make up.

Warnings: OOC (some characters) , language (I'm starting to get a little more free with my words...ahem)

Key:_ thought , _"speech" **flashback**

**

* * *

**

**ReCaPrEcApReCaPrEcApReCaPrEcApReCaPrEcApReCaPrEcApReCaP**

**LAST TIME... **

"Hahah..." The Shichinintai leader sat down beside Kagome. "Kagome," he mumbled, causing her to blush.

"Yes?" she asked softly. _Why am I blushing? He doesn't like me..._

"Before...When we were fighting...all that stuff I said. I was lying."

"What are you talking about?" Kagome asked, becoming confused.

"I wasn't screwing with you. I just...didn't want you to use it all against me, so I lied. I meant everything I did and said. I like you. I like you more than you could ever imagine."

**ReCaPrEcApReCaPrEcApReCaPrEcApReCaPrEcApReCaPrEcApReCaP**

**

* * *

**

Catch you Catch Kagome

**CHAPTER SIX: Beneath the Starry Sky**

Kagome stared at Bankotsu in awe, unable to comprehend what he'd just said to her. He didn't expect her to understand, nor did he expect her to return his feelings. After all, she loved Inuyasha, even if he was a jerk.

Kagome averted her gaze to the ground and thought of how to respond. A response that wouldn't put her in a tight spot or decide her future.

"I just thought I should get that out into the open," Bankotsu added when he took note of her troubled expression.

"Bankotsu! Here already?" Jakotsu asked as he walked into the cave with the other members behind him.

"Yeah," Bankotsu replied. "Can I talk with you outside?" _I should give Kagome some space before tomorrow._

"Surrrrre thing!" the cross-dresser replied happily. Bankotsu and Jakotsu left the cave to discuss whatever it was they needed to discuss, leaving Kagome with the rest of the interested Shichinintai members.

"So," Renkotsu mumbled, walked over to her and smiling evilly at her distraught appearance. "What'd Brother Bankotsu tell you? You in trouble?"

"Gesh...What did he say?" Ginkotsu asked, equally interested in their leaders activities with the young girl. Suikotsu however, decided to keep to his own business and began inspecting his metal claws for any sign of damage.

"He said...He liked me," Kagome answered hesitantly, wishing she hadn't when she heard a gasp from Ginkotsu and Renkotsu.

"I figured," Suikotsu laughed, not at all surprised by Kagome's words. "So tell me...How does it feel to be the only person in the world safe around Bankotsu?"

"What do you mean?" the young girl asked in surprise.

"If we were to ever cross him, no doubt he'd kill us. You however...You've done so and lived," Suikotsu replied.

"It's because of that purified jewel shard," Renkotsu said with resentment. "Instead of favoring us, he favors some outside girl."

Kagome looked away and at her hands. _Does Bankotsu really like me that much?_

-----------

"What do you need?" Jakotsu asked worriedly. "You don't seem yourself? Well...You're NEVER yourself around that girl."

Bankotsu leaned against the rock wall and stared at his best friend. "I told her I liked her," he replied calmly.

"That's nic-YOU WHAT?" Jakotsu exclaimed, acting as if he was in love with her himself. "You mean...You...you...you LIKE her?"

"Maybe more."

"No no no no no no..."

"What?"

"You've fallen for a woman! That evil sex! Arggg!"

"Do you want to yell at me or help me?" the teen asked sounding irritated. "Tomorrow I'm going to take Kagome with me in search for Urasue. From what Naraku told me, Urasue is responsible for reviving Kikiyo. She should be able to help revive the others."

"You're going to be completely alone with Kagome? Is that safe for her?" Jakotsu asked, eyeing his leader suspiciously. "Don't you think someone should go along?"

"When Kyoukotsu and Mukotsu are back, I'll have enough to deal with."

"I understand..." _You really want alone time!_

"I'm glad." _He doesn't get it... _"I'll go tell Kagome." He entered the cave and found everyone staring at Kagome with interest. Bankotsu decided to ignore it and went straight to the point. "Tomorrow, Kagome and I are going to leave to revive the others. Suikotsu will be in charge until I return."

"Wow wow wow! You and me...alone tomorrow?" Kagome asked in horror, turning pink.

"For awhile...Is that a problem?" the Shichinintai leader asked with a carefree tone. "Only until we revive Mukotsu and Kyoukotsu."

"Why do I have to go with you?"

"Because my dear. You have to show me where the old hag Urasue lives."

"Right...I see?"

"See you in the morning," Bankotsu mumbled as he headed towards the cave exit.

"Where are you going?" Jakotsu asked angrily. "Don't you need to stay here and get your beauty sleep?"

"Someone needs to guard tonight."

"Oh...now I remember," Jakotsu reminded himself once Bankotsu was gone. "There's no telling when my Inuyasha will pop up. He should be getting his scent abilities back now. I'm so happy!"

"You'd better get some sleep now," Suikotsu told Kagome as he sat on his own bed. "The sun'll be setting any minute."

"I guess you're right," Kagome replied laying down. _I've had such a long day...and I'm so tired._ Within minutes, the young girl was fast asleep and the Shichinintai members were also following her example.

---------------

"Wake up sleepy head," Kagome heard someone whisper into her ear. She rolled over on her stomach and pulled the blankets over her head quickly.

"Go away Inuyasha," she mumbled sleepily. "Five more minutes..."

"Come on! I don't want to wake the others!" Bankotsu whispered, sounding irritated. "If you don't wake up on your own, I'll just carry you." When Kagome didn't reply, the older teen sighed and carefully removed the blankets and scooped her into his arms. "I guess I'll carry you then."

When Kagome woke up, she found herself being carried bridal style in Bankotsu's arms. "What are you doing?" she asked irritably.

"Carrying you," answered Bankotsu, trying to balance her in one arm and carry his Banryuu at the same time.

"I can see that. Why?"

"Because you wouldn't wake up."

"Do you know where we're going?"

"Yup."

"But you said you needed me to guide you!" Kagome screamed, causing the Shichinintai leader to set her down on the ground.

"Yeah, well I lied," he replied, plugging his ears. "You're loud."

Kagome crossed her arms and turned away. "Why would you lie about something like that?"

"Because," he chuckled, leaning over her shoulder. "I wanted to spend time with you."

"Ack!" she cried, shoving him away. "Don't get so close!"

"You're confusing," the older teen moaned, resting his halberd on his shoulder while staring at the younger girl. "You totally flirt with me...and when I tell you I like you, totally flip out."

"I was not flirting with you!"

"Were too."

"You were doing the flirting!"

"Am I? Yeah, I won't lie. But you liked it."

Kagome decided not to say anything else, because she was turning bright red. _Of course I liked it... _"Do...you really like me?"

"I really don't need your jewel shard finding powers. So, why would I want you around if you were in the way?" he asked cleverly as he passed her. "Let's get going."

"O-okay," Kagome replied, hurrying after him._ What does that mean?_ They were currently walking through a large meadow, following a small dirt path. The sky was dark with clouds and in the distance the outline of a mountain could be seen. "Where are we?"

"A couple hours away from your village. Urasue moved her hideout and only Naraku and I know where it is. I doubt we'll run into him though."

Kagome just nodded as he spoke to her, not really listening to his words and lost in a daze. _Bankotsu, leader of The Band of Seven, has broken ties with Naraku and has somehow become interested in me. For some reason his jewel shard has been purified, allowing me to make a place in his heart...But...Why did this happen?_

_"Are you well?" _A strange voice asked, causing Kagome to stop in her tracks.

"What's wrong Kagome?" Bankotsu inquired, noticing her stopping. Kagome could see his lips moving, but she couldn't hear a sound. All she heard was the mysterious voice ringing throughout her head. "Kagome?" Bankotsu asked again, this time with a hint of worry. "What's wrong with you?"

_"Do not fear...You'll be safe."_

"Kagome?" the older boy yelled, shaking Kagome out of her daze. "What the hell's wrong?"

"I-" choked the raven haired girl. "I heard a voice."

"A voice?"

"A voice in my head. Someone telling me..."

"Enough," the Shichinintai leader said sternly as he took her by the hand and pulled her close. "There are demons and other mischievous creatures in this land. Stay close." Kagome felt safer as she walked along side the older teen, holding onto his hand tightly. Though she knew she was safe...something bothered her. The voice sounded so familiar.

------------

"Yo. Old Woman!" Bankotsu yelled as he and Kagome stood outside a eerie house, in the middle of the grassy meadow. "It's Bankotsu." He smiled when the door opened and the old demon stepped out.

"Yes...Bankotsu sir?" she asked cautiously. "Do you need me services?"

"Yes," Bankotsu replied, gripping his Banryuu. Kagome stood behind him and out of sight. She wasn't quite ready for the reunion with the clay making demon. "I wish for you to revive my two men. I'm sure you have their bones, no?"

"How do you-"

"Naraku told me he gave them to you."

"I see. Tell me...Is there someone else with you?"

"Why yes," the Shichinintai leader chuckled and stepped aside, revealing Kagome. "The priestess Kagome. I'm sure you've both met."

"That woman!" Urasue exclaimed with excitement. "Yes...I remember her. Tell me. Is Kikiyo well?"

"Very," Kagome replied, rolling her eyes.

"I'll be needing the jewel shards," the demon said as she held her hand out. As soon as Bankotsu gave them to her, she went inside and closed the door.

"You're going to trust her?" Kagome asked him in surprise.

"She can't do anything," he replied, smirking. "If she does...I'll kill her again."

"Again?"

"It was Naraku who revived her. I got mad and killed her...He revived her once more. I'm sure she doesn't want to die again."

"You OLD HAG!" a loud voice screamed from inside the house. Suddenly the door burst open and Mukotsu came out fuming. "Bankotsu, I appreciate your bringing me back...But why must it be her?"

"Because," Bankotsu replied coolly. "I can trust that she won't cross me." The Shichinintai leader looked down at his arm when he felt Kagome grab hold of it. "Is there something wrong Kagome?"

_I hate Mukotsu...Bankotsu's here...So I might as well use him as a shield. _Kagome thought to herself.

"Kagome?" Mukotsu exclaimed angrily. "You whore! You leave me for my chief?"

"Watch who you call whore," Bankotsu snapped, pointing his halberd at Mukotsu. "Renkotsu told me all about your dealings with Kagome. You are not to touch her or make her cry a single tear. If I find out you have done anything of that sort I will return you to the grave."

Mukotsu was taken back by his leaders random outburst. "Very well brother."

"BROTHER BANKOTSU," came a loud booming voice from inside the house. "I THANK YOU FOR BRINGING ME BACK." Suddenly, Urasue's tiny house was blown into bits and Kyoukotsu was standing in the middle holding the demon woman in his hands.

"You blew up my house?" she screamed in anger. "You'll fix it you beast!"

"WHO IS THAT WOMAN?" Kyoukotsu asked, ignoring Urasue and fixing his eyes on Kagome.

"This is Kagome," answered Bankotsu. "She'll be staying with us for quite a while."

"Mukotsu!" Urasue screamed. "You'll be fixing this house as well!"

"Stupid ugly woman!" Mukotsu hissed. "Fix it yourself!"

"I think not," Bankotsu snickered. "We will be fixing it. After all, she revived you both without trouble."

"Thank you Bankotsu," Urasue giggled, shooting him a seductive look. However, it only succeeded in making the teen shiver in disgust. "I see...You're eyes are on Kagome?" The teen only shrugged and looked away.

"Bankotsu," Kagome whispered. "What is wrong with Mukotsu and Urasue?"

"They were once married. Once upon a time."

"But Mukotsu was a lecher and I ended up ending the relationship," Urasue explained.

"Bitch," Mukotsu snarled.

"Mukotsu, shut up and get to work," Bankotsu barked.

"Yes brother Bankotsu..."

-----------

The three men were busy rebuilding Urasue's house, while the two women sat and watched them. "So Kagome," Urasue began, wanting to start conversation with the modern priestess. "How do you feel about Bankotsu?"

"Well...He's nice," Kagome responded.

"Do you still have feelings for Inuyasha?"

"No." _Of course I do..._

"I see...That cannot do. Will you forgive me for all the evil I have caused you? By bringing back Kikiyo...I stole Inuyasha from you."

"What?" Kagome was surprised by Urasue's words. "It's fine."

"You'll feel better if you move on."

"What do you mean? You mean Bankotsu?"

"Aye."

"Well...Yeah...I like him...a lot."

"There you have it."

"No," Kagome sighed standing up and focusing her gaze on Bankotsu. He was sitting on the top of the house, nailing boards together to make the roof. He glanced over in Kagome's direction and saw her gazing at him.

"We're almost done," he laughed.

"Okay," said Kagome blushing.

Urasue watched the couple with great interest, and then noticed the lecherous looks Mukotsu was giving Kagome. _If I get both Kagome and Bankotsu together...Then Mukotsu will never have a chance with her. Meaning, he'll be miserable forever! HAHAHAH!_ The demonic woman looked around and then sighed sadly. _But there's nothing romantic about this place...Oh! The stars!_ "Bankotsu! When you finish...How would you four like to stay the night? I'm sure you're tired."

"That sounds nice," he replied, nailing the last board down and hopping off the roof.

"It's my pleasure." However, Urasue's words made Kagome very uncomfortable. "Please...wait out here while I fix up the inside." Urasue ran inside quickly and emerged minutes later. "All better! Errr...Kyoukotsu, please stay outside with Mukotsu. I'll only allow Bankotsu and Kagome inside."

Bankotsu smirked at the two members as he and Kagome entered the house. "What about sleeping arrangements?" Kagome asked Urasue when the door closed. The inside of the house was quite small and had a large table in the center of the room and a bed on the side.

"We'll sleep outside," Bankotsu explained. "Is there a reason you brought us inside?"

Urasue began to fidget slightly. "Well...I was hoping..." _Now what do I do? _"Ah..I forgot something. I need make dinner since I've got guests. Make yourselves comfortable while I go fetch some items for dinner." Urasue opened the door and smiled at the grumpy Mukotsu and Kyoukotsu. "You two will help me find things for dinner!" Quickly she ran out and closed the door, leaving Kagome and Bankotsu alone.

"So..." Kagome began, looking around. "This is a small place."

"We built it the same as it was," the older teen told her. He rested his Banryuu against the wall and sat down on the ground.

"Are you tired?" the young girl asked, walking towards the older boy.

"A bit."

"Then why don't you sleep until Urasue gets back?"

"Silly. If I do that, who will protect you? Something weird could happen and I might not be able to hear anything."

Kagome hesitated before speaking her next suggestion. "Would...you feel better if you held me?" Bankotsu looked up at her, somewhat shocked, and smiled. "I mean...That way you could sleep and I'd be safe."

"Sure," he told her, holding out his arms. Slowly Kagome sat down in his lap and shuddered when he pulled her against his chest and wrapped his arms around her. "Thanks," he mumbled before instantly drifting off to sleep.

Kagome watched Bankotsu out of the corner of her eye and smiled at his angelic appearance. _He must be really tired...After all, he's been fighting so much...He stayed up all night and then carried me here. _Suddenly she remembered Inuyasha and the feelings she once had for him. All of her feelings for the half demon had faded and now..._ Bankotsu..._

When the two woke up, they were quite surprised to find that Urasue wasn't back yet. "Where could they be?" Bankotsu asked himself as he stepped out of the house. "It's night already."

"The stars!" Kagome exclaimed when she caught sight of the night sky. The Shichinintai leader moved aside and let Kagome run out and stare up at the sky. "Isn't it pretty?"

"You've never seen the stars so clear?" he asked.

"Not like this...They're so pretty!"

"I guess they are." Bankotsu looked up at the stars, smiling at how such a simple thing could make the modern priestess so happy.

"Bankotsu?" Kagome mumbled softly, catching the older teens attention. _Inuyasha doesn't matter anymore._

"Yeah?"

"I like you too." Kagome turned to him smiling softly. "If you still like me."

"Of course," he laughed, picking her up off her feet and holding her up in the air. "How could I not?" As he was lowering her to the ground, she leaned towards his face and kissed him softly on the lips.

--------------

"I can't believe it took that long!" Urasue wailed as she and the other two Shichinintai stared into her crystal ball. "But look! They're finally together!" The three of them were a few miles from the house.

"Kagome!" Mukotsu cried sadly. "Stupid woman! How could you take her from me?"

"Oh Mukotsu," Urasue giggled. "You're still so cute..."

"Erk?"

"How about giving me a kiss like Kagome gave Bankotsu?"

"Stupid woman! Stay away!" Mukotsu cried, standing up and running away.

"MUKOTSU, WAIT!" Kyoukotsu cried, following after the short poison master.

"Ahahah...Men are so funny," Urasue laughed to herself.

CHAPTER END

**

* * *

**

**NEXT CHAPTER: Absolute Anguish part 1**

_Now that the Band of Seven has regrouped, they're ready for some serious jewel shard hunting. But when Inuyasha shows up once again, more blood will fall than tears. Will Inuyasha survive long enough to regain Kagome's trust or will Bankotsu completely destroy the half demon?_

**

* * *

**

_A Suikotsu and Bankotsu lover...is me. Teehee! Thanks for reading this chapter! Please continue reviewing and I'll continue updating every week! I love you guys sooo much!_


	7. Absolute Anguish part 1

I love everyone who updated! You guys are the ones who rock! Your reviews keep me inspired, I love you guys! Anyways, this chapter actually has nothing to do with the title...but part 2 does. Oh well...as long as you like the chapter...why care about the title?

**STORY NOTE: I don't know what Jakotsu's weapon is called! ((sob)) For now I'll refer to it as a sword...but if anyone know's it's name. Please let me know!**

* * *

Disclaimer: I do not own Inuyasha only some of the random things that I make up. 

Warnings: mild language

Key:_ thought , _"speech" **flashback**

* * *

**ReCaPrEcApReCaPrEcApReCaPrEcApReCaPrEcApReCaPrEcApReCaP**

**LAST TIME... **

"Bankotsu?" Kagome mumbled softly, catching the older teens attention. _Inuyasha doesn't matter anymore._

"Yeah?"

"I like you too." Kagome turned to him smiling softly. "If you still like me."

"Of course," he laughed, picking her up off her feet and holding her up in the air. "How could I not?" As he was lowering her to the ground, she leaned towards his face and kissed him softly on the lips.

**ReCaPrEcApReCaPrEcApReCaPrEcApReCaPrEcApReCaPrEcApReCaP**

* * *

Catch you Catch Kagome 

**CHAPTER SEVEN: Absolute Anguish part 1**

The group of eight was standing on a hill a few miles from a large town. The weather was somewhat gloomy, seeing as the sky was filled with clouds, and there was a small forest behind the band. "Why have we gathered here?" asked Renkotsu, raising an eyebrow at the scene in front of him. Bankotsu was standing beside Kagome staring at the town with one of his arms around her waist and Kagome was leaning her head against his shoulder. The couple had goofy grins on their faces and Kagome was slightly pink.

"What's with you two?" Jakotsu asked, cringing as he spoke.

"Well you see," the Shichinintai leader began as he and Kagome turned to face the others. "How do I put this..."

"You're together?" Suikotsu questioned, though he was really trying to confirm his assumptions.

"Yeah! That's exactly how it is!" Bankotsu laughed, pulling Kagome into an embrace.

"It's about time."

"What was that?"

"Nothing."

_Dammit...They're together...She'll never leave! _Renkotsu thought to himself as he scowled at the couple. _Tough...I'm not really complaining..._

_No! She stole my MAN! _Jakotsu thought, making a fist.

"DAMN URASUE!" Mukotsu screamed at random.

"You gotta problem with it?" Bankotsu asked coldly, glaring at the small poison master.

"Never," Mukotsu replied in fear.

"All right everyone!" Bankotsu laughed. "This jobs pretty big, so if we work in separate groups we should be able to get more done than usual. Not only have we been hired to do some killing, but our target has a jewel shard. At the same time, Kagome has been sensing a couple jewel shards in the area."

"Brother Bankotsu," Renkotsu asked cautiously. "How do you suppose we do this?"

"There's eight of us including Kagome," the Shichinintai leader pointed out. "Here's the plan. Mukotsu and I will attack the eagle demon pack while Renkotsu and Ginkotsu act as our back up. At the same time, I want Kyoukotsu and Suikotsu to attack the demon in the forest and Kagome and Jakotsu to head into town and find the rat demon. As soon as you retrieve all the shards and kill all possible threats meet in the center of town. Together we will attack the castle and kill the new emperor."

"Understood," the group replied and then began breaking into their teams.

"Let's go!" Bankotsu called to his team as the four headed away from the town and forest and towards a nearby mountain. "That's where we'll find our demons!"

"Brother Bankotsu," Renkotsu asked as the three rode on Ginkotsu. "How do you know what all the demons are?"

"I did my research," was the reply.

"Gesh...Big brother is quite amazing," Ginkotsu laughed, yet he had respect in his voice.

"So perfect," Mukotsu mumbled under his breath, still angry about losing Kagome to his chief. "So...Where are these eagles?"

"There nest is on the top of the mountain. You and I will go up and take 'em out. If we have any problems, Ginkotsu and Renkotsu will take care of it from the base of the mountain."

"Big brother, was it wise to leave Kagome with Jakotsu?" asked Renkotsu.

"The two need some bonding time. If all goes well, Kagome will be with us for a long time."

-------------

"SUIKOTSU, DO YOU KNOW WHAT WE'RE LOOKING FOR?" Kyoukotsu asked his demented teammate as the two of them searched the small forest for their demon.

"I told you, we'll know when we find it. It's supposed to be extremely hostile," Suikotsu replied, sounding annoyed. _Why'd Bankotsu have to stick me with him...? Why not Kagome! She's nice to hang around with. _"If you see anything from way up there, let me know will ya?"

"YES SUIKOTSU."

"Bleh..."

"WHAT'S WRONG?"

"Nothing..."

"SOMETHING IS WRONG."

Suikotsu stopped walking and turned slowly to Kyoukotsu. "Can you keep something quiet?"

"SURE."

Suikotsu flinched at Kyoukotsu's loud booming voice. "Kagome reminds me of the priestess Kikiyo. My other self liked her...and to tell the truth I did too."

"YOU LIKE KIKIYO?"

"Not really..."

"DO YOU LIKE KAGOME?"

Suikotsu smiled softly and turned away, his doctor half kicking in. "I've grown quite fond of her and I want her to be happy. I also want Bankotsu to be happy. If the two of them are content in each others arms, then I too am pleased." Kyoukotsu stared at the killer in confusion, not understanding his words. "Don't worry about it. We've found our demon."

Suikotsu stepped aside quickly as a huge worm emerged from the ground, tearing down trees and all obstacles in it's path. "IT'S THE DEMON!"

"Yes, that's the demon," the smaller man replied in a sarcastic tone. The giant worm lunged towards Suikotsu but instead found itself in Kyoukotsu's arms. The worm was quite large compared to Suikotsu, but a little smaller than Kyoukotsu. "Thanks." Kyoukotsu's grip around the worms body tightened as he attempted to squeeze the life out of it, and Suikotsu began hacking at it's body in a search for the shard. "We can't destroy it until I find the shard, so hold it still."

"CAN I KILL IT WHEN YOU FIND THE SHARD?"

"If you really want."

"YAY!"

Suikotsu rolled his eyes as he made his way towards the worm demons eyes. In one swift swing, he tore the shard out from demon's forehead. "Squeeze," the smaller man mumbled as he landed gracefully on his feet. Kyoukotsu practically tore the demon in half and threw it's remains to the side. "Good job," Suikotsu told the large Shichinintai member as he picked up the jewel shard and stuffed it in his armor for safe keeping.

"SHALL WE GO TO THE MEETING SPOT NOW?"

"Yes, Brother Bankotsu is probably already there by now."

----------------------

"Why do I have to go with you?" Jakotsu asked coldly as he and Kagome headed towards the town.

"It's not like I chose to team with you. Sorry," Kagome sighed, feeling out of place. _I wish we could get along..._

"Woman! Don't think just because you have Bankotsu's respect you'll get mine!"

"I wasn't planning on it," the young girl replied as she walked faster. _I'll think of something later..._

"Stop walking so fast!"

"Stop walking so slow!"

"Stupid whore!"

"Stupid cross-dresser."

Jakotsu stopped suddenly and grabbed Kagome by the arm. "Listen. I'm going to be nice to you because you make Bankotsu happy."

"We have a job if you remember, and I'm sensing a shard," Kagome said sternly, pulling away and running towards the town.

"I'm sensing a shard," Jakotsu mimicked in a high voice as he followed after her. "Bleh!"

When the two entered the town they found it bustling with people and carts carrying goods. In the north side of town was the castle and the shard was somewhere in the south side of town. Jakotsu and Kagome were coming in from the west side, so the two had a long distance to walk together. In other words...they had a long time to bond.

"This place is huge," Jakotsu mumbled in awe as he led the modern priestess through the crowd. "So tell me...Do you still like Inuyasha?"

"Not really," Kagome replied.

"Does that mean I can have him?"

"If you want."

"Now we're talking!" Jakotsu laughed as he looked at her. "I'll let you have Ban and you'll give me Inuyasha!"

"Good luck getting him to agree," Kagome laughed. "Hey wait..."

"Is something wrong?" asked the cross-dresser, stopping and pulling Kagome close to protect her from the crowd.

"The shard is coming towards us."

"What does that mean?"

"Woman, stay back!" Jakotsu ordered as he pushed the modern priestess behind him and unsheathed his sword. "Get out of my way!" Everyone in the area began to panic once they saw sight of his weapon and cleared away leaving an empty circle for Jakotsu and Kagome. "Why won't these stupid people leave?" he asked irritably when he noticed they weren't leaving and had surrounded him.

"It seems they want to watch the fight," a familiar voice laughed. Kagome looked up to see Kagura standing on her signature feather. "You're Jakotsu of the Band of Seven...Am I correct?"

"The Shichinintai are here?" a man in the crowd screamed in horror. "They're going to kill us! Run!"

Jakotsu watched the crowd in amusement as they fled for their lives, tripping over one another and fighting to get inside houses. "It's fun to watch them run. Normally I'd take this opportunity to kill each and everyone of them, but unfortunately I have to deal with you," he sighed sadly.

"I am here for the priestess Kagome," Kagura explained, standing still on her feather and holding her fan out, ready to attack. "It would be so much easier if you just handed her over."

"I'm sure it would," Jakotsu agreed. "But Brother Bankotsu left her with me. What do you want with her anyways?"

"I could care less about the woman. It's Naraku's wish that I bring her to him."

"Tell Naraku that if he wants the girl, he'll have to come get her himself."

"It's a shame we couldn't come to an agreement," Kagura growled as she jumped down from the feather and landed on the ground in front of Jakotsu.

"Jakotsu, Kagura stole the shard from the rat," Kagome whispered to the taller man.

"Shut up woman!" Kagura hissed, sending a blast of wind towards Kagome. Her attempts to hit the girl were foiled when the Shichinintai member deflected the blast with his sword. Kagura moved out of the way as Jakotsu swung his sword, his many blades thundering towards her. "Is that the best you can do?"

"You haven't seen anything yet!"

"Oh I think I have!" Kagura mumbled, jumping in the air and onto her feather again.

"Now Kanna!"

Jakotsu turned just in time to see a small white haired girl step out from behind a building and flash her mirror at him. _What's this...? _He asked himself, starting to feel faint. _I can't move! It feels like she's sucking my life away!_

_If I don't do something fast...Kanna will kill the big idiot!_ Kagome thought to herself as she looked around for something to shoot with. Luckily, she noticed a bag of arrows hanging from a cart along with a beautiful bow. She quickly ran over to the cart and grabbed the items. "Leave Jakotsu alone!" the raven haired girl yelled as she shot her sacred arrow at Kanna.

"Kanna watch out!" Kagura warned her comrade, but it was to late, the mirror absorbed the arrow and sent the small girl flying into a building. "Kanna!" Kagura attempted to retrieve the wounded girl but stopped when an arrow flew by her head.

"I won't miss next time!" Kagome threatened. "Hand over the jewel shard!"

"Wench," Kagura breathed and pulled the shard out of her kimono. "Take it." Kagura threw the shard to Kagome and flew over to the building where the wounded Kanna was waiting for her. "We'll finish this later!" she barked as the two disappeared.

"Jakotsu! Jakotsu are you okay?" the raven haired girl asked as she ran over to the said man. The Shichinintai member was sitting on the ground with his head down.

"You...saved my...life," he said in between breaths. No doubt he was warn out from almost losing his soul and all the traveling they'd done.

"Yeah," Kagome laughed, helping him stand up. "Don't worry about it. I got the jewel shard."

"Really?" Jakotsu asked, now feeling better. "You what Kagome, you're not so bad after all."

"What?" asked the younger girl, surprised that he'd called her by her name. "Thanks."

"I think we can be friends. What do you say? Are you willing to give me another chance?"

"Sure," Kagome laughed, feeling suddenly very happy.

"Great! Let's go to the meeting spot and wait for everyone else!"

-------------

"We're here," Bankotsu laughed as the four of the seven members stopped at the base of a single large mountain. In all truth, the mountain was oddly placed. The said mountain blocked a large lake from escaping into the town, and it was said that the founders of the village had placed it there. The Shichinintai leader unwrapped his Banryuu and lifted it onto his shoulder. "Are we ready?"

"Do we really have to be _back up_?" Renkotsu asked in agony. "Do you not believe in our abilities?"

"It's not that," Bankotsu mumbled, rubbing his forehead. "Fine fine, you and Ginkotsu can take out the eagles while we climb the mountain. Is that better?"

"Indeed it is."

"Good. Mukotsu, lets go."

Bankotsu and Mukotsu climbed the mountain quickly as Renkotsu and Ginkotsu took out all the eagles attempting to attack the duo. When the two finally reached the nest, they found it filled with the flying demons, leaving Mukotsu to gas them out. Bankotsu slipped on a mask his comrade had given him and hurried through the nest in search of the jewel shard. He didn't have to look far, because the eagle holding the jewel shard came to him.

"What do you want?" the eagle woman asked in horror. Like Koga, the woman was an eagle demon but in the form of a human. "Leave my nest at once human!"

"Hand over the shard," Bankotsu ordered, pointing his Banryuu at the beast. "If you don't wish to die."

"Pitiful human! I'll crush you!" the woman screamed, flying towards him. Bankotsu jumped behind her and with a single stroke of his sword, sliced off her wings.

"Will you now?" he asked, sounding amused. "A bird that cannot fly has no right to be called a bird."

"Please! Spare me!" she cried, rolling onto her back and looking up at the Shichinintai leader in horror.

"I think it's a little to late." Bankotsu brought his Banryuu down on her neck and watched her head roll away. "I guess that's that," he laughed, bending down and picking up the jewel shard that had been placed in her chest.

"You kill the pretty woman!" Mukotsu screamed in anger when he ran over to his chief and saw the dead body. "I could have married her!"

"You'd marry an ugly bird demon?"

"I'd marry anything!"

"Is that why you and Urasue-"

"PLEASE STOP!" Mukotsu screamed, clutching his head. "Don't bring back the horrible memories of those LONG nights! She's the reason I search for beautiful women...In fact, how's Kagome?"

"She's very beautiful," Bankotsu replied as he placed the jewel shard in his halberd. "Great! Now my companion has three shards! I can feel it getting stronger already!"

"How many are you planning to put in there?"

"Four."

"That's a lot."

"Yup."

"About Kagome...You said she was very lovely?"

"Yup."

"She may be, but she's really a demon inside! Why don't you give her to me?" Mukotsu jumped when his chief pointed the Banryuu at him.

"Do you think me a fool?"

"No Brother Bankotsu."

"That's better." Bankotsu climbed down the mountain and met a happy Ginkotsu and an irritated Renkotsu. "What seems to be the problem?"

"Did you get the shard?" Renkotsu asked, trying to keep his cool.

"Yup. I gave it to my Banryuu."

"I see. I'm happy you could put it to use." _When will we get shards? I want another shard. Dangit! I WANT ANOTHER SHARD. _"Shall we head to the meeting place?"

"Yup."

"Bankotsu! Stop saying yup!" Mukotsu yelled from the mountain. He was currently climbing down.

"Okay! Right-O!"

----------------

Jakotsu, Kagome, Suikotsu, and Kyoukotsu were all standing in the middle of the town, nearby a fountain, waiting for the other four to arrive. The air in the town had become cool and moist, and smelt of rain. "Looks like it'll be raining soon." Suikotsu chuckled as he looked up at the sky. "I wonder what's keeping the others."

"Hey, Suikotsu," Kagome mumbled softly. "Who are we...I mean...Who are you working for?"

Suikotsu smiled and turned to her. "You were correct. **We** are working for a group of people in the town who want the castle to fall."

"Kagome? Are you scared?" Jakotsu asked, pulling the younger girl towards him and wrapping his arms around her protectively. "I won't let no mean emperor hurt you! No matter how sexy he is."

"Great...Thanks."

"Oh Kagome! You're so cute!" the cross-dresser squealed, hugging Kagome tighter and shaking her around a bit.

"We're here!" a familiar voice shouted. The small group looked up and saw their leader and the other members running towards them. "I see the town all hid!"

"Yes, seeing Kyoukotsu scared most of the people," Jakotsu laughed. "We can see the castle from here."

"Yes we can," laughed Bankotsu. "Is everyone ready? We're going to barge in and destroy everything. Kagome, I want you to follow me and Jakotsu. If anything goes wrong, someone will get you out. I promise your safety."

"Thank you Bankotsu," Kagome replied blushing. "Oh yeah! Jakotsu, give him the shard!"

"Right," Jakotsu pulled out the shard he and Kagome had obtained from Kagura and handed it to Bankotsu. "There's a story on that shard. I'll tell you about it later though."

"I have a shard for you as well," Suikotsu announced, taking the shard out of his armor.

"Go ahead and keep your shard Suikotsu. I don't need anymore," the Shichinintai leader laughed as he put the forth shard in his halberd. "Seven shards. I think I'll be just fine from now on."

"Thank you Big Brother," answered the demented doctor as he slipped the shard back into his armor.

_Why does Suikotsu get a damn shard! What about ME?_ Renkotsu thought to himself as he stood on top of Ginkotsu.

"Are we ready to attack the castle?" Bankotsu asked the group cheerfully.

"Ready as ever!" Mukotsu answered.

"Lets find out if this emperor is sexy!" screamed Jakotsu.

"LET US KILL!" boomed Kyoukotsu.

"Ready when you are," laughed Suikotsu.

"Gesh! Let's blow everyone away!" Ginkotsu agreed.

"Let's obtain the shard!" Renkotsu said in a dark voice.

"I'm ready for almost anything!" Kagome giggled, surprised by their blood thirsty behavior. However, as scary as the group may have been...she wasn't frightened.

"Then lets go bust us up a castle!" Bankotsu cheered and began leading the group towards the said castle. Their mission was to kill the emperor...and that was exactly what they were going to do.

CHAPTER END

**

* * *

NEXT CHAPTER: Absolute Anguish part 2 **

_Now that the Band of Seven has regrouped, they're ready for some serious jewel shard hunting. But when Inuyasha shows up once again, more blood will fall than tears. Will Inuyasha survive long enough to regain Kagome's trust or will Bankotsu completely destroy the half demon?_

* * *

Man, the reason I had to spilt the chapter into parts is because part one took so long and so much space. Seriously, I can't take 6000 words for one chapter! It'd take forever to get out...right? Well...it would, since I've been so busy.Well anyways...look forward to part two! 


	8. Absolute Anguish part 2

_First of all...I wanna thank everyone who's reviewed and read my story. Thanks for sitting through my silly mistakes and if you see anymore, please point em out...lol. Okay..that's all...and...I'll try harder! Luckily, for all of you. When I updated the last chapter this one was half done! So...now it's done. Yeah..._

**STORY NOTE: **I don't have any plans for a lemon in this story. Just lots...and lots...of fluff! Yay! Sorry for ya'll that want lemons.

* * *

**thunder sister:** _Thanks for pointing that out. I actually didn't realize I was stating it wrong...Sorry! Also, thanks for pointing out the rushed thing...What happens is I write them and then after I update...I realize there's a whole mess of stuff I coulda added. ((hits self on head)) I already proof read the work, but I'll try to pick it up a noch. Thanks for the suggestions!_

**sesshomaruobsessed:**_ I'm glad you like what I did with Suikotsu. ((giggle)) I thought it'd be cute if he had a crush on her...After all the title does imply that a lot of guys will be after our little Kagome's heart._

**PimpTroyce:**_ Don't you worry. It's going to be very long. It hasn't even reached the real plot yet...lol_

**xBankotsu's Girlx:**_ I'm glad you liked it...and ack! I forgot to add that Bankotsu's should be surprised...sorry again!_

**Minako Miharu:** _Thanks for telling me the swords name. I love you! In a nice kinda way...lol_**

* * *

**

Disclaimer: I do not own Inuyasha only some of the random things that I make up.

Warnings: OOC (some characters) , mild language

Key:_ thought , _"speech" **flashback**

**

* * *

**

**ReCaPrEcApReCaPrEcApReCaPrEcApReCaPrEcApReCaPrEcApReCaP**

**LAST TIME... **

"Are we ready to attack the castle?" Bankotsu asked the group cheerfully.

"Ready as ever!" Mukotsu answered.

"Lets find out if this emperor is sexy!" screamed Jakotsu.

"LET US KILL!" boomed Kyoukotsu.

"Ready when you are," laughed Suikotsu.

"Gesh! Let's blow everyone away!" Ginkotsu agreed.

"Let's obtain the shard!" Renkotsu said in a dark voice.

"I'm ready for almost anything!" Kagome giggled, surprised by their blood thirsty behavior. However, as scary as the group may have been...she wasn't frightened.

"Then lets go bust us up a castle!" Bankotsu cheered and began leading the group towards the said castle. Their mission was to kill the emperor...and that was exactly what they were going to do.

**ReCaPrEcApReCaPrEcApReCaPrEcApReCaPrEcApReCaPrEcApReCaP**

**

* * *

**

Catch you Catch Kagome

**CHAPTER EIGHT: Absolute Anguish part 2**

The town was dark and silent as the Shichinintai made their way towards the castle. Kagome stayed close to Bankotsu, in fear that they may suddenly be ambushed and she'd need quick protection. Once in awhile she thought she saw heads poking out of windows, but once they were detected, they disappeared back into the safety of their homes. _I feel like this is wrong...but if Bankotsu says it's okay..._ Kagome sighed and rubbed her forehead. _I almost forgot...he's a blood thirsty killer. _

"Is there something wrong?" Bankotsu asked the girl at his side.

"Not really."

"Liar." That voice belonged to Jakotsu. "If you don't feel perfectly fine, you don't need to lie."

"Jakotsu is right," Bankotsu chuckled. "If something is troubling you, don't hesitate to tell us."

"Well...Do you have to kill EVERYONE?" she asked, causing Jakotsu to gasp.

"But I look forward to killing!" the cross-dresser cried.

"Bleh fine. I'm sure they're bad any ways..."

"THEY ARE," Kyoukotsu boomed, trying to make her feel better.

"Would you like one of us to wait outside with you?" Mukotsu asked hopefully, giving Kagome a lustful glare.

"Not you," Kagome shot back, glaring at the poison master. "I'd rather die than be stuck with you again."

"You almost did," Renkotsu mumbled quietly, however, Bankotsu still heard.

"She almost what...?" the leader asked casually, stopping the group and turning to Mukotsu. "You almost...KILLED...her?"

"Seriously," Kagome moaned. "After poisoning me so I couldn't move and then attempting to marry me... Who knows what else he would have tried."

"Renkotsu, you seem to have left out a few details," the teen mumbled under his breath, his eyes fixed on the small poison man before him.

"Ah yes...Forgive me Big Brother," Renkotsu coughed. _I didn't want you to revive him only to kill him again..._

"I should have left you for dead," Bankotsu growled, averting his eyes from Mukotsu. "So," his voice was suddenly cheerful. "I'd love to wait outside with Kagome, but we all know I can't. Who wants too?"

"I WILL!" Kyoukotsu offered happily. "ME LIKE KAGOME."

"You know, I think I'll stay with Ban and Jak after all!" the young girl laughed nervously.

"The castle is up ahead. Shall we?" Jakotsu asked everyone in a creepy yet happy voice. The castle was one large building and was nearly a mile long. The front was decorated with a fountain and a lovely garden...and at least a hundred angry soldiers waiting for the Shichinintai to arrive. Suikotsu ran ahead of the group and began slicing a path towards the door as Kyoukotsu followed behind, tossing all the soldiers he possibly could into the castles side.

"Follow me," Bankotsu instructed Kagome as he spun his halberd, cutting himself a path through the soldiers. Jakotsu followed behind Kagome looking for any cute soldier he may be able to molest before returning to his leaders side. Unfortunately for him, all the soldiers were older men. Once the three reached the castle doors they found Suikotsu waiting with Mukotsu at his side and the two men surrounded by bodies. "Renkotsu, Ginkotsu, Kyoukotsu have fun!" Bankotsu yelled before running inside with the other Shichinintai members behind him.

The inside of the castle was as beautiful as the front had been. A long red carpet decorated the floor and beautiful images of the former rulers hung on the walls, an the inside of the castle had the exact same thing the outside had...more angry soldiers. Twenty men came pouring out of one of the side rooms and blocked the hall that led to their new emperor. "Leave at once! The Band of Seven has no right to be here!" one of the generals yelled.

"Actually we do," Jakotsu laughed. "We're here to see if your leader's as sexy as ours."

"Jakotsu," Bankotsu mumbled, sounding irritated. "Can we just go?"

"Brother Bankotsu. Mukotsu and I can take care of the men in the front of the castle. Will you be able to handle the back?"

"Yes we will," answered Bankotsu.

"We have an unlimited supply of soldiers!" the general cried again. "You cannot win!"

"And we have an unlimited supply of energy," Bankotsu laughed, pointing his Banryuu at the soldiers in his way. "Banryuusen!" He swung the giant halberd quickly and smiled as a strong wind slashed a path through the soldiers. "Enjoy," he laughed as he led Jakotsu and Kagome through the pile of dead bodies and down the hall.

"Big Brother just had to kill them!" Mukotsu pouted, sitting down on the floor and pulling out a bottle of poison.

"Fear not Mukotsu, more has arrived!" Suikotsu laughed, getting ready to attack the new group of soldiers exiting through the side doors.

"Oh goody!"

------------------

By the time the three reached the emperors chambers, there weren't many soldiers left. Jakotsu had killed most of them and the few that had slipped past his Jakotsutou had their heads lopped off by Bankotsu. Kagome however, wasn't really feeling all that great. Blood didn't scare her but all the dead bodies weren't a pretty sight and she kept feeling faint.

"I wonder when Kagome's just gonna fall over," Jakotsu whispered to Bankotsu as he kept the young girl on her feet.

"Let's hope it's later," Bankotsu whispered back. "Maybe we should have left her outside..."

"But if we had, you'd be worrying your butt off."

"True true."

"Are you guys talking about me?" asked Kagome.

"Nope," the two men responded innocently.

"Here we are," Jakotsu laughed as they stopped outside the emperors chambers. "Who should go in first?"

"Why don't you since you're dying to see if he's sexier than me," Bankotsu moaned, pulling Kagome close. "I'll come in after with Kagome."

"So you've finally arrived," the emperor laughed as soon as Jakotsu entered the room.

"You are sexy!" cried the cross-dresser when he caught sight of the target. The emperor was in fact a young man no older than Jakotsu himself. He had long black hair and piercing blue eyes. "But still not as sexy as Bankotsu."

"You must be Jakotsu," the emperor said, scowling. "Tell me...Did you bring the young priestess?"

"How do you know about Kagome?" asked Bankotsu as he entered the room with the said girl behind him.

"She's the reincarnation of Kikiyo, is she not? She would make a wonderful wife I'd assume."

"This guy must be kidding," Jakotsu moaned. "She belongs to us!" Kagome winced at being referred to as a possession but decided to let it slide. She knew Jakotsu didn't mean what he said. "You have a shard don't you?"

"I'm afraid not," the emperor chuckled.

"If what you are seeking is Kagome, why go through the trouble of having us sent here to kill you?" Bankotsu asked, keeping his cool.

"Tell me. Would you have come if I'd invited you?"

"Guess not," replied the Shichinintai leader as he ran towards the emperor, swinging his Banryuu. However, something shinny caught his eye and he jumped back, canceling his attack. "What was that?"

"What are you talking about?" The emperor asked, stepping forward. However, that step was his last step. Something had sliced him in half and they watched in awe as his two pieces fell to the floor.

"Ack!" Kagome cried, grabbing onto Jakotsu's robe and burying her face into it.

"So sorry I had to spoil your fun," came a feminine voice. "But it was an order." Bankotsu looked up to see a strange woman standing above the dead mans body. "The name is Yura."

"Yura of the hair?" Kagome asked in surprise, lifting her head to look at the emperors murderer.

"That's right. Oh...you're that wrench that killed me."

"It was your own fault if you let a young girl kill you," Jakotsu barked as he embraced Kagome protectively. "I suppose you're here for her too?"

"Are you talking about the emperor?" Bankotsu inquired his teammate.

"No...When Kagome and I were searching for the shard, Kagura and Kanna showed up," Jakotsu explained. "They said Naraku sent them to retrieve the shard and Kagome. I assume this woman is here for Kagome as well."

"Ah, you are so correct," Yura laughed happily. "And you have such pretty hair. You must take good care of it."

"Bleh! You can't sweet talk me woman!" Jakotsu barked.

"Jakotsu," Bankotsu said suddenly. "I want you to get Kagome out of here and get the rest of the group to come here."

"Yes sir!" replied the cross-dresser. "Ready Kagome dear?"

"Sure," the raven haired girl answered, letting Jakotsu pick her up and carry her out of the room.

"Do you think that will really save her?" Yura asked, sounding very much amused. "All I have to do is kill you and your band. It's simple."

"Don't take me so lightly," Bankotsu warned. "Banryuusen!"

-------------

"Jakotsu! Could you be a bit more gentle?" Kagome screamed, as Jakotsu ran down the castle hall with her hanging over his shoulder.

"Sorry Kagome, but it's faster if I carry you this way!" Jakotsu shouted back. "Oh! I don't wanna miss the fight!" When Jakotsu reached the front of the castle he smiled at the two bored Shichinintai members sitting down and waiting for orders. "Suikotsu!"

"Yes?" the doctor inquired, standing up. "Is there something wrong?"

"Yeah, it's no big deal though," Jakotsu replied, shoving Kagome into Suikotsu's arms. "Bankotsu wants you to take her somewhere safe. Mukotsu, tell the others to meet in the emperors room!" Before Suikotsu or Mukotsu could ask what was going on, Jakotsu was running down the hall again, singing about spilling blood and whatnot.

"It looks like we should be going," Suikotsu said timidly as he headed out the castle doors. Outside, the other three members were waiting patiently and were surprised to see Suikotsu carrying Kagome out. "Bankotsu wants you in the emperor chambers."

"I was supposed to do that!" Mukotsu cried angrily as he followed the two outside. "So Kagome, do you really like the chief?"

"Yeah," Kagome answered, sounding irritated.

"Leave her alone," Suikotsu grumbled, seeing how Mukotsu seemed to upset her.

"WE HAVE A PROBLEM!" a voice from inside the castle screamed loudly. Suddenly Jakotsu busted out of the castle and stood outside gasping for air.

"What the heck is wrong?" asked Renkotsu. "Did something happen to Big Brother?"

"Not yet! Two crazy men joined that woman and one of them is REALLY strong! They're demanding that we hand over Kagome!" Jakotsu replied, nearly screaming. "He really needs our help!"

"You think he's exaggerating a bit much?" Mukotsu asked, grinning evilly.

"I'm not kidding! Hurry and get Kagome out of here. The rest of you...FOLLOW ME DAMMIT!"

Kagome watched in horror as the Shichinintai members rushed inside to aid their leader. "Will Bankotsu be okay?" she asked Suikotsu sounding worried and squeezing the doctors arm.

"Don't you worry...They won't let anything happen to him," Suikotsu replied, trying to calm her. Kagome held onto his arm as he carried her out of the town and towards the tiny forest he and Kyoukotsu had searched through earlier. "They probably need my help," he said softly, setting her down beside a tree. "Find a safe place to hide and we'll meet up with you soon."

Kagome looked around and began to panic. Night had already came and she was being told to stay alone. "You can't leave me out here!" she cried, hugging him around the waist. "It's dark out!"

"We'll be back soon," he soothed. "Here take this." Kagome looked up and watched him pull something shiny out of his armor. "Take my jewel shard. And here's your bow and arrows."

Kagome pulled away and held out her hand, watching in awe as he dropped the tiny shard into her palm. "Are you sure?" she asked, taking her weapon and setting it on the ground beside her.

"If it'll make you feel safer, take it. You can return it to me later."

"Thanks," she giggled, hugging him again. "Come back soon!"

"Of course," Suikotsu laughed before heading towards the town to assist his comrades.

"Now what?" Kagome asked herself, sitting down beside the tree and examining her surroundings. _I'm all alone...I hope a demon doesn't come along. Or worse, one of Naraku's demons. _Kagome squeezed the shard in her hand and stood up slowly. "I'd better look for somewhere to hide."

Kagome wandered through the forest and frowned when she came out the other side. Off in the distance she could see the forest were the Shichinintai cave was located and on the other side was the familiar village where her friends were most likely staying. "This forest is too small to hide in!" she moaned, stomping her feet in anger and continuing her search for a hiding spot.

"Kagome!" a familiar voice yelled from outside the forest. Kagome turned around and felt her heart skip a beat when she saw Inuyasha running towards her.

"Go away Inuyasha!" she yelled in anger. She still wasn't ready to face him. How could she? _How did he find me? That stupid demon doesn't give up..._ She attempted to flee but was caught by the half demon and pulled into an embrace.

"Kagome," he whispered into her ear, sending a chill down her spine. "It wasn't me, it was all Naraku." _I miss you Kagome..._

"How can you expect me to believe you?" the raven haired girl snapped angrily, trying to pull away from the half demon. Inuyasha quickly spun her around and stared into her eyes. "How the heck did you find me?"

"I was following the smell of blood with the others when I picked up your scent."

"How'd you remember my scent? I thought Bankotsu took care of that!"

"It doesn't matter. There's something else I have to tell you." _I need to tell you... _

"It'll have to wait for later." Both Inuyasha and Kagome turned to find Bankotsu watching them, his eyes burning with anger. "Get away from her."

"What the hell happened to you?" Inuyasha asked as he pushed Kagome behind his body. Bankotsu was covered in blood and using his halberd to balance himself.

"Bankotsu!" Kagome cried as she tried to run to him but was held back by Inuyasha.

"I don't know what that guy's been telling you, but you're staying with me!" he growled.

"Release her," the Shichinintai leader demanded, his voice filling with rage.

"What are you going to do about it?" Inuyasha asked smugly. "You can't even hold yourself up."

"Brother Bankotsu!" Jakotsu screamed as he emerged from the darkness and ran to his leader. "I told you to stay put! We'd get Kagome for you."

"Jakotsu," Inuyasha growled, pulling out his Tetsusaiga and pointing it at the two members. "I'll cut you both into pieces and show Kagome how monstrous you really are."

"Don't you dare lay a finger on Bankotsu!" Jakotsu warned, becoming irritated. "I don't care how sexy you are, you will not harm him!"

"Stay out of this," Bankotsu told Jakotsu sternly. "If he wants to fight. He'll fight me."

"Brother Bankotsu!"

"Heh, you'd better listen to your boss," Inuyasha mocked. "This'll be the last time you get too." The other Shichinintai members appeared behind Jakotsu and watched their leader approach the half demon.

"Oh...I hope Bankotsu will be okay," Jakotsu mumbled to the others. "He won't let us help him!"

"Let's hope," Suikotsu replied. "He's already badly injured." All the Shichinintai were worried about their leaders well-being. Bankotsu was barely able to stand, let alone wield his Banryuu.

"Wind Scar!" Inuyasha yelled, sending a powerful blast of wind towards his target.

"You'll have to do better than that," the Shichinintai leader laughed, as he blocked the attack with his Banryuu. "I've got more shards than before."

Kagome sighed with relief when she saw Bankotsu stand up. _He must be feeling better._

"Banryuusen!"

"Wind Scar!"

The two men exchanged attacks for a few rounds before Inuyasha ran forward in an attempt to catch Bankotsu off guard. Instead, the two ended up clashing their weapons together. Bankotsu jumped back and started spinning his giant halberd before tossing it at the half demon. Inuyasha wasn't able to avoid the flying weapon completely and escaped with a huge gash in his left arm. When he regained his senses, he dodged the halberd as Bankotsu attempted to strike him while he was down.

"Lucky break," Bankotsu growled, leaning against his Banryuu as he watched Inuyasha crawl to his feet.

_Look at him, he's barely able to stand. _Inuyasha thought to himself as he tried to think of a plan that would help him bring the Shichinintai leader down.

"I won't let you have her."

Bankotsu's words snapped the half demon out of his daze. "What the heck are you talking about. She's not yours!" he screamed back. "Wind Scar!"

Bankotsu merely blocked the blast again and laughed in amusement. "Is that all you can do? You're all talk." Inuyasha gripped the Tetsusaiga's hilt as he watched his opponent taunt him. "Or do you have some crazy secret?"

_He may look like he's perfectly fine...He's stronger than I thought. _Renkotsu thought to himself. _Maybe Inuyasha will kill him, then I'll take his jewel shards for myself._ Renkotsu was standing on Ginkotsu and watching the fight as he thought his evil thoughts.

"Bankotsu!" Kagome cried, when Bankotsu lifted his Banryuu to prepare to attack Inuyasha. She had noticed something that nobody else had noticed. Every time Bankotsu picked up his halberd, more blood dripped out of his sleeve. "Stop fighting!" she ordered, hoping he'd listen.

Bankotsu chose to ignore the screaming girl. He had hoped she wouldn't notice, but her knowing didn't change a thing. "I'm going to make sure he stays away from you, even if it kills me," he told her sternly. "Banryuusen!" he shot another powerful blast of wind at Inuyasha who countered with his Wind Scar. The two men clashed their weapons together again and again, each time Bankotsu seemed to grow weaker. However, Inuyasha was finding it hard to hold the Tetsusaiga with one hand and was beginning to tire as well.

Inuyasha was about to take another swing at Bankotsu when he was stopped by a sacred arrow flying past his cheek. "Kagome?" he cried, turning to the raven haired girl behind him. Kagome couldn't stand to look at Inuyasha's expression. He was confused, hurt, and lost all at the same time, and it hurt to look at him.

"Leave Bankotsu alone," she said sternly. She gripped her bow and looked away, holding back her tears.

"Is that what you really want?" Inuyasha asked quietly. "Do you want me to leave?"

"Yes," Kagome mumbled, unable to stop the tears from falling down her cheeks. "Go away and disappear from my life."

"All right," he replied. When Kagome looked up there was an empty space in front of her. Inuyasha had left.

CHAPTER END

**

* * *

**

**NEXT CHAPTER: The Missing Boy**

_When Bankotsu explains to Kagome what happened during the fight, the group decides it's best if she returns home until it's safer. Kagome still feels terrible for hurting Inuyasha and goes back to her own time with hopes of escaping the drama of the fuedal area. However, the outcome is far from peaceful._

**

* * *

**

_I hope everyone enjoyed the chapter. Yeah...it was wierd...uhuh...BTW, everything that happened to Bankotsu will be explained next chapter...so, don't worry! Be happy! 'til next time!_


	9. The Missing Boy

_Over 200! OMG...I'm sooo happy! I love all of you! This chapter is longer than usual...yeah..and..OH YEAH! I went to an anime-convention Sat...Guess who I went as? BANKOTSU! 'sept I didn't have Banryuu and my armand leg thingys werebeing stupid. I still got a lot of pictures taken of me and a lot of hugs from crazy fan-girls! XD! It was so funny! I'd be walking around and suddenly i'd hear, "BANKOTSU!" and I'd turn around and suddenly someone glomps me! Yay! Okay, enjoy the chapter!_

**STORY NOTE: Flash back later in chapter.**

**OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO**

Disclaimer: I do not own Inuyasha only some of the random things that I make up.

Warnings: OOC (some characters) , mild language

Key:_ thought , _"speech" **flashback**

**OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO**

**ReCaPrEcApReCaPrEcApReCaPrEcApReCaPrEcApReCaPrEcApReCaP**

**LAST TIME... **

Inuyasha was about to take another swing at Bankotsu but was stopped when a sacred arrow flew by his cheek. "Kagome?" he cried, turning to the raven haired girl behind him. Kagome couldn't stand to look at Inuyasha's expression. He was confused, hurt, and lost all at the same time, and it hurt to look at him.

"Leave Bankotsu alone," she said sternly, looking away and holding back her tears.

"Is that what you really want?" Inuyasha asked quietly. "Do you want me to leave?"

"Yes," Kagome mumbled, unable to stop the tears from falling down her cheeks. "Go away and disappear from my life."

"All right," he replied. When Kagome looked up there was an empty space in front of her. Inuyasha had left.

**ReCaPrEcApReCaPrEcApReCaPrEcApReCaPrEcApReCaPrEcApReCaP**

**OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO**

Catch you Catch Kagome

**CHAPTER NINE: The Missing Boy**

Bankotsu fell to his knees, clutching his bleeding arm in pain. He'd successfully been able to ignore his wounds during the fight, but now that the threat was gone the pain had returned to torment him for being careless.

"You shouldn't have pushed yourself," Suikotsu mumbled as he walked towards his injured leader. "What happened to your arm?"

Bankotsu looked away in an attempt to save his pride. "Nothing," he replied calmly. "It's just a scratch." He wasn't about to admit that he'd gotten his butt kicked, at least not in front of Kagome.

"It is not just a scratch!" Jakotsu bellowed, stomping his feet. "You can hardly stand!"

"Correction," Renkotsu spoke up quietly. "Big Brother can't stand."

"Well now," Mukotsu laughed evilly, stepping forward. "If Bankotsu is going to die again, why don't we put him out of his misery? I'd be glad to take his place, shards, and Kagome."

"Don't you dare go near him Mukotsu!" Jakotsu hissed, pulling out his Jakotsutou and getting ready to fight. "I'll kill you if you try! A monster like you could never take Bankotsu's place!"

"I agree with Jakotsu," Renkotsu stated. "You'd make a horrible leader." All the others nodded in agreement.

"Mukotsu's right though," Bankotsu mumbled softly, attracting everyone's attention. "I am a pathetic sight. However, I won't die so easily." He slowly lifted himself up with the help of Suikotsu and balanced on his Banryuu. "I just need some rest. I'm fine."

"You are not fine!" Kagome screamed, startling everyone. She'd been so quiet, they'd forgotten she was there. Tears feel down her cheeks as she stared at the Shichinintai leader in anger. "You could have really been hurt! Why did you keep fighting even though you were already beat up?"

Bankotsu was unable to answer her question and only watched her walk towards him with surprise.

"Tell Suikotsu where you are hurt and what happened!" She was hovering over him now. "We are going to go back to the cave to patch you up and then you're going to tell me everything that happened...and you're not going to walk AT ALL!"

Bankotsu looked at Suikotsu, who was standing at his side smirking, and glared. "Let's get back to the base you guys," he mumbled in defeat, loud enough that only Kagome and the doctor could hear him.

--------------

"Dammit, it hurts!" Bankotsu growled as Suikotsu wrapped up his wounded arm with bandages. He had been carried back to the cave by Kyoukotsu and placed on his bed made of blankets on the floor. Jakotsu had happily tore most of his clothes off for Suikotsu, and then left with Kagome to search for the others. "Why aren't my wounds healed yet? Why aren't the jewel shards doing their damn job?"

"I don't know," Suikotsu replied, sounding irritated. "But you'd better shut up before I knock you out."

"You wouldn't dare!" Bankotsu snarled. He'd been beat up by a stranger, yelled at by a girl and his pride had been crushed, not to mention his wounds hurt like hell. He wasn't going to let one of his men stomp on him too...or would he?

"You wanna bet?" Suikotsu asked, pinching his leaders wounded arm. He only felt half sorry for abusing his wounded leader, but Bankotsu needed to calm down.

"Holy crap! I'm sorry!" Bankotsu wailed, tossing around in agony.

"Next time you want to fight while you're this wounded...Remember today."

"You're a doctor! You're not supposed to KILL the people you're helping! What's wrong with you?"

"Indeed. I do often wonder that myself."

"Brother Bankotsu will never learn," Jakotsu sighed as he entered the cave with Kagome at his side, both of them carrying buckets of water.

"Where did you get the buckets?" Suikotsu asked, glancing over at the two.

"I stole them when we were at the caste," Jakotsu replied. "The other guys are off doing something stupid I'd assume. I think Renkotsu is gathering information."

"Finished. How do you feel?" asked the doctor as he completed treating Bankotsu.

"Fine," he replied, pulling away and redressing himself. "It's a good thing they went to find out about our new enemy."

"Leave the armor off," Suikotsu snapped when this leader reached for his armor. "It'll only slow down the healing process."

"What am I? Hen pecked?"

"Perhaps," Jakotsu giggled.

"Would you guys tell me what happened?" Kagome asked, setting down her bucket of water. "I'd like to know."

Bankotsu sat back down on his bed and let out a big yawn. "After you left...Some weird guy showed up. The new guy...he didn't tell me his name, but he demanded I return you to him. I declined...so we fought. He was stronger than hell...and ended up beating me. He told me I was stronger than Inuyasha so he'd leave you with me awhile longer."

Kagome was silent as she listened, as was Suikotsu and Jakotsu. They remembered what poor Bankotsu looked like and the memory made them want to crush the man who'd done it.

"Kagome, do you know a woman named Sango? She's one of your friends right?"

"Yes," Kagome answered, hesitantly at first. "Why do you ask?"

"He wanted to know if she was okay."

Kagome was stunned by this new information. _Could it be Kohaku...? But wait...that's not possible. Bankotsu knew what he looked like. _"What did this man look like?"

"Oh, he was VERY sexy," Jakotsu said cheerfully. "If he hadn't hurt Big Brother so bad...I'd have fallen in love. Yes, he was very tall...and had short black hair...brown eyes."

"And a human," Suikotsu added. "With demonic strength."

"It wasn't Kohaku?" the raven haired girl asked hopefully.

"No. He is working with Naraku though. Maybe Kohaku wanted to know about his sister," the Shichinintai leader suggested.

"Maybe," Kagome replied. "Bankotsu?"

"Yes?"

"Would it bother you if I went home for awhile?"

"Where's home?"

"Through the Bone Eaters Well."

"W-wait!" Jakotsu stuttered, sounding horrified. "You live in a well?"

"Not exactly," Kagome replied, laughing nervously. She took a few minutes to explain everything to the three men. About her home, family, the jewel shards, and Inuyasha.

"I see," Suikotsu mumbled in awe. "It would probably be safer."

"I agree," Bankotsu told them. "Suikotsu and Mukotsu can guard the well while you're gone. Then when you come back...they can bring you back to the cave."

"Great idea Bankotsu!" Jakotsu laughed happily. "I wouldn't want to leave you alone with the others...Those jerks might try something."

"It's nice to know you think I'm so strong."

"Kagome," Jakotsu began, completely ignoring Bankotsu's comment. "Why don't you at least stay the night. It's been a long day...and I want to have some alone time with you."

"What for?" Bankotsu asked, sounding jealous despite Jakotsu's being gay.

"I said I wanted to talk to her! Girl stuff!"

"You. Are. Not. A. Woman."

"No shit."

----------------

The night was silent as the Shichinintai sat around a fire outside their cave. Everyone but Renkotsu had returned and though they wondered where he was, nobody really cared.

"Gesh...I wonder what they're doing..." Ginkotsu mumbled to himself.

"TALKING AND STUFF. GINKOTSU, YOU ARE SILLY. HAHAHAH!" Kyoukotsu boomed, rocking back and forth.

"Is dinner ready?" a familiar voice asked, hidden inside the trees. Renkotsu emerged from the darkness with an evil smirk plastered on his face.

"Gesh...It is," Ginkotsu replied. "We are waiting for the others though."

Renkotsu looked to the side and found Suikotsu, Bankotsu, and Mukotsu twitching and squirming around on the ground, as if someone was torturing them. "What's wrong with you guys?" he asked with amusement in his voice.

The three men lifted their heads and opened their mouths, attempting to tell their comrade the problem, but didn't and returned to their squirming on the ground again.

"Kagome is taking a bath with Jakotsu...Gesh," Ginkotsu answered, grinning evilly.

"Stop reminding us!" the three men yelled angrily.

"You've got to be kidding..." Renkotsu sighed as he looked at the moon. "You guys...have problems."

"Yeah," Bankotsu mumbled, standing up and facing Suikotsu and Mukotsu. "Why are you two freaking out?" His expression turned from worried and distressed, to a death glare.

"...Kagome, naked with Jakotsu!" Mukotsu cried, causing all the men in the group to blush. "Isn't that tragic! I wanna be there too!"

"Bah!" the Shichinintai leader growled, pounding Mukotsu into the ground. "What about you...Suikotsu?"

"I was merely sharing your pain so you didn't look stupid all by yourself," he replied calmly. _That...was a nice save._

"Fair enough!"

"Brother Bankotsu," Renkotsu said softly as he sat down near the fire. "What shall we do about Kagome?"

"Ah yes," Bankotsu laughed, putting his hands on his hips. "We are sending Kagome home tomorrow. While she's gone...Suikotsu and Mukotsu will guard her until she returns. During that time Renkotsu will be gathering information about our new enemies and Ginkotsu will be looking for jewel shards with Kyoukotsu."

"Are your wounds healed?" Mukotsu asked curiously.

"No," Suikotsu answered for his leader. "He won't be able to fight for a few days."

"What will you be doing?" inquired Renkotsu.

"Jakotsu and I will be preparing for the trip," Bankotsu replied.

"TRIP?" Kyoukotsu boomed in question.

"Yes. We are leaving."

-----------

Jakotsu and Kagome were sitting quietly in a nearby hot spring that Kyoukotsu had found earlier that night. Kagome kept her eyes on the water in front of her and tried her best not to stare at the relaxed Jakotsu before her. Didn't he care that he was naked and in front of her?

"Kagome," Jakotsu asked, worry apparent in his voice. "Your face is all red! Are you sure this hot water isn't to much for you?"

"I'm fine Jakotsu," Kagome replied, sinking deeper into the water. "It's not the water that's turning my face red..." _I've seen more than I ever should have seen..._

"Did you say something love?"

"Nothing!"

"I'm glad you stayed," Jakotsu laughed, changing the subject and leaning his head back against the rocks that lined the spring. "I just want you to know, I'm here for you. It's not just because you're Bankotsu's girl. You're like, my best friend now!"

Kagome smiled, though she was still blushing and very embarrassed. "Thanks."

"So tell me...Have you and Big Brother done anything yet?"

"What do you mean?"

"You know..." Jakotsu was winking at her now. Boy did Kagome wish he'd stop.

"We kissed..."

"Aiiii! That's sooooo cute! I wish I could kiss Inuyasha!"

"Go ahead..."

"That's right," the Shichinintai member mumbled, realization dawning upon him. "I'm sorry. Brother Bankotsu is okay, so I forgave him."

"I wish I could."

"You can."

"Really?" _That's right...He said Naraku set it up. It was like with Kikiyo. But can I trust him? _"I don't think I can," she sighed, dunking her head under the water and bringing it up to find Jakotsu inches from her face. "Jakotsu?" she cried, jumping back.

"Though I hate to say it. Inuyasha really cares about you. He wouldn't lie or hurt you on purpose," Jakotsu told her, ignoring her jumping away from him.

"How can you tell?" Kagome asked hesitantly.

"By the way he looks at you. Bankotsu looks at you the same way."

"I never noticed anything..."

"Of course not. You're not gay! Hahaha! Besides, I know Bankotsu like the back of my hand! He's got this little freckle on his left bu-"

"No! I don't wanna hear!" The raven haired girl screamed, covering her ears.

"I see," Jakotsu chuckled, throwing his arms up in the air. "You want to find out for yourself?"

"That's not what I mean!"

"No need to deny anything around me. I can truthfully say the same thing about Inuyasha."

"Why are you doing this to me?"

"You feel better don't you?"

"Huh?" Kagome was confused, what was Jakotsu talking about?

"Though you weren't showing it. I could tell you've been hurting. Don't worry about Inuyasha. He'll get over it. You did the right thing."

"I see. Thanks for your support."

"If I do say so myself..." Jakotsu mumbled as he climbed out of the spring and glanced at the blushing Kagome. "Big Brother is going to be quite pleased with what he gets."

"Jakotsu!"

---------------

(That morning)

The Shichinintai were all sleeping on the ground outside their cave. They'd been to lazy to move and decided to sleep were they were. Kagome woke to find herself surrounded by the over protective men and smiled to herself. _They really do like me... _Her eyes fell upon Mukotsu, who was dangerously close to her face. "I know you're not sleeping," she whispered to him in the most intimidating voice she could find.

"Good job," Mukotsu laughed, rolling on his stomach and staring into the raven haired girls chocolate eyes. "And what are you going to do about it?"

"I'll scream," she replied, glaring at him. "I tell Bankotsu you tried to do nasty things to me."

Suddenly Mukotsu became stiff. He hadn't thought about that...It looked like she'd won this round. "Fine. You win...But! I will get you someday!"

"Is that so?" an angry Jakotsu growled, hovering above the two. "I heard the whole thing Mukotsu. Watch yourself."

"Of course," the poison master laughed nervously. "I was only joking."

"I'm sure you were."

"Jakotsu...Do you doubt me?"

"You betcha."

"I should probably get home now. I'll wake up Suikotsu," Kagome announced and climbed to her feet slowly. Once she was standing up, she smiled as the bright sun blinded her, oblivious to the stares Jakotsu and Mukotsu were giving her. She glanced down beside her and found Bankotsu sleeping peacefully, hugging his wrapped Banryuu. "He sure loves his sword...I should get him some polish." She walked towards Suikotsu and nudged him with her foot. To her surprise, he grabbed it and pulled her down into his arms.

"What do you want?" he snapped, half awake. His face turned red when he realized who he was holding. "Kagome," he coughed, letting her go and standing up. "You startled me."

"Sorry," she giggled nervously, also climbing to her feet. "I just wanted to wake you up."

"Are you ready?" the doctor asked, grabbing his claw and attaching it to his hand. "We can leave whenever."

"Now is good. I'll led the way!" the young girl giggled, picking up her bag and wandering into the forest with Suikotsu close behind her. The two seemed to be running in an attempt to make sure Mukotsu was left behind.

"Wait for me!" Mukotsu yelled, chasing after the two. When he finally caught up with them, they were standing at the well talking. Kagome was resting her bag on the wells edge and was swinging her arms cheerfully.

"Thanks for lending me the jewel shard," she said softly to Suikotsu, causing him to blush. However, it was so faint, Kagome failed to notice it.

"It didn't help did it?" the doctor asked, sounding somewhat disappointed.

"Not really," the young girl laughed. "But it's the thought that counts!" She turned to her bag and began searching through it for something. After a few seconds she pulled out the jewel shard and handed it to Suikotsu. "Here ya go!"

Suikotsu smiled at the shard and rolled it between his fingers. "You keep it," he said softly, handing it back to the younger girl. "Promise you'll come back."

"Are you sure?" she asked in surprise. "Don't you need it?"

"I can get another one." Without another word, he dropped the shard into her palm and looked away. "Keep it."

"Thanks Suikotsu!" she laughed, hugging him around the waist. "I'll see you guys in a few days!" She swung her backpack over her shoulder quickly and hopped into the well, disappearing with a flash of purple light.

"She really is from another time," Suikotsu said to himself in awe.

"Very interesting," Mukotsu laughed as he left his hiding spot and walked towards his comrade. "If I didn't know better, I'd say you like her. What would Bankotsu say?"

"Nothing," Suikotsu barked, pointing his claw towards the poison master. "If you so much as utter one word, I'll cut out your throat."

"Yes. Of course," Mukotsu gulped. _Dammit Suikotsu! I'll use this against you later!_

_-------------_

When Kagome returned to her own time, she climbed out of the well and found herself in the familiar shed. "Suikotsu really is a cool guy. He reminds me of what a big brother should be like," she said to herself as she opened the shed's door and squealed happily at the sight. She was home...and everything seemed perfect. She headed towards her house, smiling at all the familiar sights before her. She really had been away too long.

"I'm home!" she called as she entered the house and left her shoes by the front door. "Mom? Souta? Grampa?" No reply. "I wonder where they are," she said to herself as she headed towards the kitchen table. The entire house was empty, there wasn't even a note! _Well...if they aren't here...I guess I'll go shopping. _She set her bag on the table and opened it, scowling at the empty sight.

She hadn't had a chance to restock and her bag was nearly empty. Leaving her bag where it was, she headed up stairs and into her room where she changed into some casual clothes: a shirt and plain skirt. After she was dressed, she fixed her hair and tossed her uniform into the washing machine. "Done!" Kagome laughed when she was once again standing at the kitchen table. With the money in her hands, it was time to go shopping!

------------

"Brother Bankotsu, I don't like Renkotsu," Jakotsu whined as he watched his leader slip on his armor. "He's not to be trusted. Neither is Mukotsu!"

"Why do you say that?" Bankotsu asked, searching around the cave for his misplaced Banryuu. "Now where did I put it?"

"They're both too greedy."

"That may be true. But what can we do about it? They haven't done us any wrong yet. I have no reason to punish them."

"This trip, where are we going?" the cross-dresser asked, pointing towards a dark area in the back of the cave.

"Banryuu!" Bankotsu exclaimed, running over to his halberd and picking it up with great enthusiasm. "We're going to find Naraku of course."

"Do we really?" complained Jakotsu.

"Yeah, as long as he threatens Kagome."

"Speaking of Kagome...Why don't we get her a gift?"

"A gift?" Bankotsu carefully covered his Banryuu with it's purple cover and then leaned it against the cave wall. "What kind of gift?"

"She's always carrying around that old bow. We could get her a new one, along with some arrows. Oh, and a cute kimono!"

"Sounds nice," the Shichinintai leader agreed. "She'd look great in a cute kimono..."

"Big Brother, no dirty thoughts now!"

"I'll get the clothes!"

"And I'll get the weapon."

------------

Kagome found herself wandering through the nearby Super Wal-market, pushing a small cart filled with snacks and medical supplies. It was while she was heading towards the soap isle that she pasted a sign for a new makeup. Remembering that Jakotsu liked stuff like that, she headed off to find the make-up section. "Oh wow," she giggled, upon finding the lip stick, eye shadow and mascara. Without a second thought she went to grab the said items, but something else caught her eye. A beautiful girl gift basket! "I should get something for Bankotsu and Suikotsu too."

The young girl headed towards the hardware department where she grabbed a bottle of silver polish and a small pocket knife. The three boys would be happy. Seeing that she had everything she needed, she went to the check out.

"That will be $42.56," said the boy who'd rung up her items. "Kagome?"

"Yes?" Kagome asked, looking up to see Hojo staring at her. "Hojo!"

"Why are you buying all these thing?"

"Why am I shopping? Why are you here?"

"I work here."

"Of course you do," Kagome laughed nervously.

Hojo checked to make sure nobody else was waiting in line before taking the money from Kagome and handing her a receipt. "You seem to be taking it well..."

"Taking what well?" was the raven haired girls reply as she took the bags in her hands.

"You don't know?" Hojo asked in shock.

"I've...been out of town and just got back. So...no."

"I don't know if I should be the one to tell you..."

"What is it?" Kagome asked again, becoming worried. "Did something happen to someone."

"Kagome...Your little brother is missing."

Kagome ran home as fast as she could, tears falling from her eyes. _Why didn't I realize something was wrong when nobody was home? I should have been here, I shouldn't have been hanging out in the feudal era!_ When Kagome reached her families familiar shrine, she ran to her house and threw open the door. "Mom!" she cried. "What happened to Souta?"

"Kagome?" Mrs. Higarashi called from the kitchen. Kagome ran into the kitchen to find her mother and grandfather sitting at the table in despair. "We called the police...but they haven't found anything," her mother answered sadly.

"How long has he been missing?"

"The night you left. A week ago."

"Tell me everything!" Kagome demanded, sitting down at the table, trying to keep calm. "Please..."

"He was worried about you. He told us something bad was going to happen to you and he wanted to warn you," Mrs. Higarashi began. "It was late at night and he went outside. He promised to stay in the shrine, but he disappeared anyways."

"He did not disappear!" Grampa yelled, slamming his fist down on the table. "Kagome, you already know about the bone eaters well. Nobody else believes me, not even your mother."

"Not that story Grampa!" Kagome's mother wailed. "It's not possible! You were seeing things!"

"Tell me Grampa," Kagome said softly.

"I was with Souta that night. We went to the well to investigate and Souta was going to try and contact Inuyasha..."

**Souta and Grampa stood around the well as they peered inside. "I don't think this is going to work," Souta mumbled. **

**"You said you were able to call Inuyasha before. You can do it again!" Grampa barked. "You do want to help your sister don't you?"**

**"Yeah," the little boy replied timidly. "But what if I'm just wrong..."**

**"What is it you say you saw in your dream?" Grampa asked, setting his hand on Souta's shoulder. **

**"There were these seven guys...and one of them had a big sword. They were standing in a circle, surrounding Kagome. I didn't see Inuyasha there at all! And then...the short man with the big sword...Kagome...and...We have to warn her!"**

**"Good! We will warn her!" Grampa cheered. **

**"I won't let her get hurt!"**

**"And you don't have too," came an unfamiliar voice. The well began to glow a dark purple and then a young boy about Souta's age climbed out. He was wearing a solid black kimono with purple lining on the sleeves and his hair hung to his shoulders. "If you join me...You can protect your sister forever."**

**"What are you talking about?" Souta asked in horror, wondering what the boy meant. **

**"If you wish to change the future you've seen...Then you can change it. Only with my help. Together...you and I can do great things."**

**"Why me?" Souta inquired. **

**"You are the brother of a modern priestess. What be better for my partner? Dark and tainted Light can do great things."**

**"If you help me protect my sister...What do I give you in return?"**

**"I wish for revenge on the one called Inuyasha and all who have any connections to him. However, your sister shall be spared."**

**"I can't help you kill my sisters friends!" Souta yelled, enraged. **

**"Friends? The people who will leave her at the hands of the seven killers you've seen in your dream? If you join me, that reality can be changed. Hurry and choose...you're short on time."**

**"Fine!" Souta yelled, jumping into the well. He was going to help Kagome no matter what!**

---------------

Kagome sat on her bed in silence as she stared at the sunny day outside her window. How cheerful the world appeared...when it was really in grave danger. A danger...that her brother was involved in.

CHAPTER END

**OOOOOOOOOOO**

**NEXT CHAPTER: My Brothers Body**

_Kagome is hysterical when she finds out about Souta, and returns to the feudal era in tears. When she runs into Bankotsu, she is overwhelmed with fear after hearing about the reasons for her brother going to the cursed era. She asks the Band to help her find her brother and finds more trouble than she can handle. With strange new enemies and a fear of the one she loves, will Kagome be able to make it through another day?_

**OOOOOOOOOOOOO**

_Hope ya'll enjoyed the chapter! Stayed tuned for the next one!_


	10. My Brothers Body

_I updated! And I'm loving this chapter! I hope you guys enjoy it as much as me! Thanks everyone for reviewing, I really love you all!_

**STORY NOTE: Warning...FLUFF! yAY! ((ahem)) Erm...Uhmmm...Blarg...If enough people want a lemon..I'll add one. (doesn't mean I'll like it) But a lemon really wouldn't fit in this story. Buh...okay..whatever you guys want. ((sulks)) **

**Kakurine IL:** I'm glad you like my story...But I didn't catch your e-mail.

**Beki:** Yeah, I just joined this year. Didn't think I'd like it as much as I do. My school just had it's first competion this year...We won Sweepstake for Devision A colorguard! Yeah! To bad our band didn't do to great...Oh well.

**Aya SL:** Thanks for telling your friend about my story!

**

* * *

Disclaimer: I do not own Inuyasha only some of the random things that I make up.**

Warnings: OOC (some characters) , mild language

Key:_ thought , _"speech" **flashback**

**OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO**

**ReCaPrEcApReCaPrEcApReCaPrEcApReCaPrEcApReCaPrEcApReCaP**

**LAST TIME... **

**"I wish for revenge on the one called Inuyasha and all who have any connections to him. However, your sister shall be spared."**

**"I can't help you kill my sisters friends!" Souta yelled, inraged. **

**"Friends? The people who will leave her at the hands of the seven killers you've seen in your dream? If you join me, that reality can be changed. Hurry and choose...you're short on time."**

**"Fine!" Souta yelled, jumping into the well. He was going to help Kagome no matter what!**

---------------

Kagome sat on her bed in silence as she stared at the sunny day outside her window. How cheerful the world appeared...When it was really in grave danger. A danger...that her brother was involved in.

**ReCaPrEcApReCaPrEcApReCaPrEcApReCaPrEcApReCaPrEcApReCaP**

**

* * *

**

Catch you Catch Kagome

**CHAPTER TEN: My Brothers Body**

As Kagome stared out her window she noticed a group of children running by, and following them closely was the shadow of a cloud. She stuck her head out the window and took note of the now cloudy sky. "It looks like it's going to rain," she mumbled to herself, climbing back into her room and shutting her window. "Souta...I wonder how he is..." She walked over to her desk and carefully sat down, setting her head on the desk top. "Seven men...Bankotsu killing me. Could Souta have not stopped it? After all, I helped Bankotsu revive his friends. All seven are together now."

Kagome lifted her head slowly and glanced over to her bed where her yellow backpack and all the merchandise she'd bought was placed. "Inuyasha wasn't there to save me because I told him to stay away...It all makes sense." She stood up suddenly, knocking her chair to the floor. "Souta, come home!"

------------------

"Bows...and arrow," Bankotsu mumbled to himself as he walked through a small village, ignoring the horrified glances he was receiving. Most people had heard about the revival of the Shichinintai, and seeing a man walking around with a giant weapon wrapped in purple cloth scared the life out of them. "Do you know where I can find some nice weapons?" he asked an old man, sitting on the side of the street.

"Oh, please have mercy!" the old man cried. "Please specter, spare my life!"

"I'll take that as a no," the Shichinintai leader sighed. "Does anyone know where I can find some weapons?" The entire town went silent and every stared in horror. "Maybe I can make it easier on you all...Tell me where the weapons are sold or I'll BURN DOWN THIS DAMN TOWN!"

"Ahhh!" the people around him cried, beginning to run. A short man ran over to the specter and motioned for him to follow.

"C-come...this this this...way!" the man stuttered as he directed Bankotsu into a small shop. "C-can I help you?"

"This must be the shop," Bankotsu chuckled upon entering the tiny store. "And you must be the shop keeper." The Shichinintai leader's eyes were now focused on the terrified man before him. "Show me the best bow you have."

"Right away!" The man began digging through a cabinet beneath the counter and pulled out a beautiful bow, decorated with blue porcelain roses. "T-this is the best I have."

"I see," Bankotsu said as he picked it up and examined it. "It's very beautiful and well made. Did you make this?"

"Y-yes. I can make you something more manly if you'd like."

Bankotsu burst into laughter, startling the poor salesman. "I don't use silly weapons like this. This is for my woman."

"C-congratulations."

"Thanks buddy! Say, how much did you say this was?"

"Take it for free! A-as a token of my friendship!"

"Hey, thanks man! You got any pretty arrows to go with it?"

"Of course!" The salesman once again dug through the cabinet and this time pulled out a bag filled with arrows that matched the bow, each arrow had a tiny blue rose at the end. "Would you like these too?"

"Yeah, thanks. Could I get you to wrap them up, like as a gift?" Bankotsu voice was cheerfully and kind, he was in a very good mood. He didn't want to let anyone know, but he was dying to see Kagome again. She made him feel so complete. Something he hadn't felt since he was a child. He set his Banryuu against the wall and watched the man pull out some cloth and begin to wrap the merchandise in it. "You made all these things huh?" Bankotsu asked, breaking the silence.

"Oh? Uhh...Yes I did," the man answered hesitantly.

"You're very skilled."

"Thank you mister." The man handed the Shichinintai leader the package and quickly took a bow. "Please come ag...uhmmmm...Nevermind."

"I will," Bankotsu said in a chilling tone, frightening the man again. The man didn't realize it, but Bankotsu was only screwing with him. The Shichinintai leader grabbed his halberd and left the shop with a smile on his face.

-----------

Jakotsu was walking down a street on his way to the same town Bankotsu was in, when he passed a caravan guarded by soldiers. All of the guards shot Jakotsu dirty looks as the two passed, making Jakotsu feel a little more than taunted. "Are you looking for a fight?" Jakotsu hissed, making the caravan and it's guards stop.

"Stay back meaningless peasant. This caravan is going to Lord Middik's daughter," the guard in charge yelled. "A fool like you will not stop us from getting there."

"That means you have girl clothes! Am I right?" Jakotsu asked happily, ignoring the threat. "If you let me see your items and take what I want...I'll let you all live."

"How dare you threaten us!" the guard yelled back. "Attack!" Jakotsu watched in amusement as the caravans soldiers surrounded him. "One against Seventeen. Are you ready to beg for mercy?"

"That's real funny you guys," Jakotsu laughed as he pulled out his Jakotsutou. "Who wants to die first?"

"Attack!"

"All of you at once? This is going to be boring." Jakotsu swung his sword with little effort and watched all the men fall to the ground in pieces, blood everywhere. "I was right, that was boring. But I still won!" Jakotsu did a little victory dance before walking over to the caravan and killing the driver. After he was sure nobody else was alive, he opened the back and gasped at what he saw.

The inside of the caravan was filled with beautiful dresses, kimonos, shoes, accessories, and other wonders. "I've got to get this for Kagome!" he squealed, pulling out a soft pink kimono with a cute daisy pattern covering it.

"Hey, Jakotsu!" a familiar voice yelled from behind the caravan. Jakotsu looked to see who it was and found Bankotsu walking towards him. "Did you find anything?"

"A whole bunch! Come and see! Come and see!"

Bankotsu walked around the caravan and to the back. He was also surprised by what the caravan contained.

"I found a kimono for Kagome already! Hold it!" Jakotsu ordered, tossing the kimono into his leaders arms. "We have to get these shoes!" He pulled out two pink sandals that matched the kimono he'd grabbed and also handed those to Bankotsu. By the time Jakotsu was done, Bankotsu was holding a huge handful of clothes, jewels, and silk blankets. "Let's go back to the cave!"

"Since when did you become boss?" Bankotsu asked as he slowly followed the cheerful Jakotsu back to their base.

-----------

Jakotsu and Bankotsu weren't the only ones having a good time. Renkotsu was currently traveling through some misty mountains, not wanting to admit he'd become lost. He cautiously held his cannon close to his side, ready for attack from any demon or stray mercenaries along the path. He'd been tracking Naraku for some time, but as soon as he entered the miasma filled mountains, Naraku had vanished. Or so he thought...

"Renkotsu of the Shichinintai," he heard Naraku's voice laugh. "You lust for power. I can give you that power."

"Naraku, we've fallen for your tricks more than once. Do you think I'd fall for them again?" Renkotsu asked, sounding cocky.

"Would you rather stay a mere servant to your leader while he acquires power and happiness?" Naraku asked, knowing he'd hit a soft spot.

"I am not a servant!" Renkotsu shot back, angered by his own weakness.

"Then why do you fear Bankotsu? Help me...Join me, and you will be rewarded."

Renkotsu readied his cannon and shot at the mountain in anger. "It's true I want power, but if I try anything I'll be killed!"

"You have more going for you than you think..." Naraku laughed, his voice echoing from all around the Shichinintai member. "Think it over. I'm sure you'll make the right choice."

Renkotsu looked around, hoping to find the annoying baboon hiding somewhere, but instead found something else. "Renkotsu was it?" a unfamiliar deep voice asked. A strange figure stepped into view, wearing a black cloak and a demon mask, covering his face from view. However, Renkotsu knew who he was.

"You're the man that defeated Big Brother!" Renkotsu exclaimed, stepping back in horror. "Go away!" he screamed, shooting his cannon at the man.

"That's enough," the man snapped, appearing in front of Renkotsu and knocking the cannon from his hands. "I have not come to kill, but rather strike a deal. I will give you a jewel shard right now. If you want more...accept my offer and work for myself and Naraku. I'll send for you later...decide by then." The man suddenly vanished, leaving a jewel shard behind in the dirt.

"Power?" Renkotsu mumbled, picking up the shard and placing it in his neck. "Sounds like something for me."

----------------

"Kagome..."

_What is it? _Kagome asked herself, not wanting to wake up. She'd fallen asleep on her desk and was too depressed to move.

"Kagome...come back."

_Shut up. Just shut up. I'm not going back there._ She thought to herself again, now frowning. This voice sounded so familiar though...she'd heard it once before.

"Don't worry. I'm all right. If you come back, you'll see me again."

_Who are you? Why are you bothering me! Can't you see I'm trying to wallow in my despair! _Who was it? Who was it that sounded... _I can't go back...They'll kill me._

"Fear nothing. I'll protect you."

_I know now...that voice. It's the same voice that spoke to me that day. The day I was walking with Bankotsu to revive Mukotsu and Kyoukotsu. _

**_"Are you well?" _A strange voice asked, causing Kagome to stop in her tracks. **

**"What's wrong Kagome?" Bankotsu inquired, noticing her stopping. Kagome could see his lips moving, but she couldn't hear a sound. All she heard was the mysterious voice ringing throughout her head. "Kagome?" Bankotsu asked again, this time with a hint of worry. "What's wrong with you?"**

_**"Do not fear...You'll be safe."**_

_"I'm dying to see you again...Sister."_

"Souta!" Kagome cried, sitting up suddenly. She growled when she felt an annoying pain in her back. She'd been sleeping in an odd position and it had done a ton on her muscles. She looked out the window and realized it was sunset. "I have to go back," she told herself in a low voice. "I'm coming Souta."

Kagome stood up and ran to her bed, slipping on her shoes and grabbing her backpack. As soon as she was ready to go, she ran downstairs and towards the door, ignoring the cries from her mother and grandfather. She knew that they didn't want her to return to the feudal era, and if she saw them, she wouldn't be able too. She had to return, for Souta's sake. As she ran out the door, she heard her mother screaming her name, begging her to stop. "I'm sorry," she yelled, bolting towards the shed and throwing open it's doors. The well was glowing a dark purple, as if it were calling her. "I'm coming!" she yelled to it as she jumped in feet first.

"Suikotsu!" she cried as soon as she appeared in the feudal era.

"Kagome?" Suikotsu asked, surprised by her unexpected arrival. "What are you doing back?"

"Did you come to see me?" Mukotsu asked hopefully, sounding lustful.

"My brother," Kagome muttered as she climbed out of the well. She tried to hold it in, but as soon as she reached Suikotsu's arms, she burst into tears.

"What's wrong?" the doctor asked worriedly as he held the crying girl close to his chest.

"My brother is missing!" she sobbed. "Someone brought him here!"

"Don't worry," Suikotsu soothed. "Everything will be okay. We'll find him."

"Promise?" Kagome asked, pulling away and sniffling sadly.

"Yup," he laughed, brushing her tears away with his finger. "Let's go back to the cave then. And calm down. You can't look for your brother if you're a mess yourself."

"Suikotsu always gets to comfort Kagome when Bankotsu isn't around," Mukotsu complained, sounding annoyed. "That sucks."

"Stop your whining and lets find Bankotsu," Suikotsu growled at Mukotsu as he held Kagome in his arms, bent on carrying her to the cave. He wanted to hold her in his arms for as long as he could.

------------

"Big Brother!" Mukotsu yelled as he ran into the cave ahead of Suikotsu and Kagome. "Your woman has returned early." He grimaced as he said "your woman" but he was trying to show Bankotsu that he was going to leave Kagome alone. At least, that's what he wanted Bankotsu to think.

"She has?" asked the young teen, a confused expression upon his face. "Now why would she do that?"

'Big Brother," Jakotsu said in a high pitch voice. "You should be happy!"

"Why are you talking like that?" Bankotsu asked loudly while covering his ears, hoping to drowned out Jakotsu's screeching voice.

"Bankotsu?" Kagome's voice came from outside the cave. The three men turned there heads and watched Suikotsu carrying her in. "It's my brother."

"Your brother?" Bankotsu asked, sounding sympathetic. _I didn't know she had a brother... _"Is there something wrong with him?"

Suikotsu gently set Kagome on the ground and watched her walk towards Bankotsu. He found it odd that she stopped a few feet from the Shichinintai leader instead of running into his arms. However, he let it slide.

"He came here," she told him, holding her head down and hiding her face with her hair. "He came here with someone that's probably working with Naraku. I'd like for you to help me find him."

"Of course," Bankotsu replied in a loving voice. "We'll set out first thing tomorrow."

"Why tomorrow?" Mukotsu asked, becoming suspicious.

"Look at Kagome. She's too exhausted to go running around. I wouldn't take her anywhere in this condition," he replied, walking towards the said girl. "Don't worry, we'll find your brother." He gently put his hand on her shoulder in an attempt to reassure her. "I promise you that much."

"Oohhhh! Bankotsu!" Jakotsu laughed, grabbing his leader by the arm and pulling him into a corner of the cave. "Let's give her the presents now! Maybe that'll make her feel better!" Jakotsu whispered happily. "If that doesn't work...I'm sure you could find some other way to take her mind off of her brother!"

Bankotsu turned a bright red and pushed Jakotsu away. "Yeah Kagome," he coughed, trying to not be obvious. However, Mukotsu and Suikotsu knew exactly what was going on. "Jakotsu and I...got you some gifts."

"Oh! Come here, come here!" Jakotsu squealed, running over to the young girl and pushing her toward the pile of clothes lying on his bed. "Guys, get out of the cave so Kagome can change!"

The Shichinintai members all groaned as they left the cave, planning to wait outside. When Jakotsu and Kagome were alone, the cross-dresser shoved the pink kimono in her face. "Put this on!"

One by one, Kagome put on item after item until she was completely dressed to Jakotsu's liking. "It's so pretty!" she exclaimed, looking at the kimono and matching shoes. Jakotsu giggled as he put up her hair with a silk tie, finishing it off with a tiny hair clip. "Where did you get all these?"

"We stole them from a princess."

"Jakotsu, you're so silly."

"No love, I'm serious! There were all these guys and they wouldn't let me take what I wanted...so I killed them all and stole all the good things! Ahahahahahah!" When he stopped laughing he looking Kagome over quickly before giving her a thumbs up. "Don't you look sexy! For a girl that is." She was wearing the kimono that fit perfectly, and her hair was tied up in a purple tie.

"Thanks," she replied, blushing slightly.

"Brother Bankotsu! Come look at your jewel!"

"Hey! She looks pretty cute!" Bankotsu laughed as he practically jumped into the cave. He'd been itching to see Kagome dressed up and though he'd entered in an ungraceful way, he was able to still look cool. "Really cute," he mumbled in a daze as his eyes fell upon her. _Scratch that...she looks...GORGEOUS! _"So...uhhh...you like it?"

"Yes," she answered, averting her eyes and trying to hide a blush. _I can't trust him...but still...He's so perfect._

"Yeah. I thought you should be dressed like the beauty you are," he mumbled shyly. "Wait, that came out funny...Oh man..." _She's so perfect._

Kagome looked up at him and smiled softly, her eyes filled with so many different emotions. "Kagome?" he asked hesitantly, worry apparent in his voice. "What's wrong?"

"We'll leave you two alone," Jakotsu announced, realizing something was wrong. "Let's go you guys." Quietly he left with Suikotsu and Mukotsu, leaving Kagome alone with Bankotsu. Something she truly did not want.

"You can tell me if there's something bothering you," he told her softly as he approached her. Of all of the emotions in her eyes, there was one that pained him. Fear. "What's scaring you?" he asked as he touched her shoulder, causing her to flinch. He felt his heart break as he realized what she was afraid of. Her fear...was of him.

Kagome watched his eyes fill with pain as he turned away. "Bankotsu," she murmured sadly. "I'm sorry."

"I thought you weren't scared of me anymore," he said blandly, keeping his back turned to her, guarding his emotions. "What did I do?" _Is it Inuyasha...?_

"Nothing!" she replied, running towards him and wrapping her arms around his waist. "I'm so sorry!" she cried into his back, surprising him by her sudden outburst. "It wasn't you...I-"

"Shhh," he soothed, turning around and gazing into her eyes. "What happened?"

"My brother came here because he had a dream that you were going to kill me. Everything in his dream seems to be coming together, and I was afraid that you'd-"

"Kill you?" he asked, his voice making her want to cry even more. "Why would I kill you?"

"I don't know," she sobbed. "I'm so confused..."

"Kagome, I'll never purposely hurt you." The older teen brushed away her tears and pulled her into an embrace. "I love you."

"Bankotsu," she said softly, squeezing him tight. She closed her eyes and drifted off to sleep, finding his strong arms comforting. She had nothing to fear, he really did love her..and... "I love you too."

-----------

When Kagome opened her eyes she found herself in Bankotsu's arms. The two were sitting against the wall of the cave and he hadn't left her once that night. He'd stayed in an uncomfortable position all night...just for her. There was no way someone like that, even a killer, would go through all that trouble just to fool her. She smiled as she gazed at his sleeping face. His expression was so peaceful as he held her close with a strong grip, not wanting to release her and leave her feeling lonely. "Hey," she whispered, rubbing his cheek with her soft hands. "Wake up silly head. It's morning."

"I don't want to," he mumbled lazily, not opening his eyes. "Let's stay like this."

"But aren't you uncomfortable? You've been sitting like that all night?"

"How can I be uncomfortable with you in my arms?" he asked, opening his eyes slowly.

"BIG BROTHER?" a loud booming voice called from outside the cave, obviously belonging to Kyoukotsu.

"Guess that we won't be staying like this then," the older teen sighed, moving Kagome off and standing up. "You win this time."

"What?" Kagome asked, looking up at her love as he stretched his arms. "I win?"

"Yup! You win for now," he laughed, then he turned to her and gave her a seductive smile. "But I'll get ya next time."

"Sure," the raven haired girl replied, blushing a bright red.

"What is it Kyoukotsu?" he asked while walking out of the cave. He smiled when he found all of the Shichinintai waiting for him. His eyes became gentle for a second, making all of his men wonder what might be going through his mind. "Did you come back with something?"

"Gesh Big Brother," Ginkotsu chuckled happily. "Kyoukotsu and I were lucky to find some jewel shards for you." Renkotsu twitched when he heard Ginkotsu say "jewel shard".

_Why is Ginkotsu working with Bankotsu? Doesn't he hate how he's acting too? _Renkotsu thought to himself. _I think I'll take up Naraku's offer._ Bankotsu's eyes suddenly focused on Renkotsu and for a second it seemed that he knew of the second jewel shard his minion was hiding. _Did he see it?_

"HERE YOU ARE," Kyoukotsu boomed, regaining Bankotsu's attention again. "HERE ARE TWO SHARDS." Bankotsu held out his palm and smiled as Kyoukotsu dropped them.

"Good job you two," the Shichinintai leader said in a cheerful voice as he inserted the shards into his sword arm. "You'll be rewarded when the time comes." He turned to Renkotsu and his smiled became a stern glare. "What about you? Find any information?"

"Yes," Renkotsu replied, bowing slightly. "Naraku is behind this. He seems to be working with another man though." _Does Big Brother know about my plans? About my shards? _"That's all I was able to find out."

"The man working with him...Is it-"

"The same one that defeated you."

Bankotsu cringed and gripped his fist. "Naraku and this man obviously have Kagome's brother. They also want Kagome. They are our enemies and we will exterminate them." Bankotsu didn't notice Kagome comeing out of the cave and walk up behind him. "We aren't strong enough to fight them. We will search for the little boy and more jewel shards as well."

"I love you guys!" Kagome shouted happily, startling Bankotsu. "Thanks for everything!"

"We'd do anything for you!" Mukotsu laughed evilly.

"So Brother Bankotsu," Jakotsu laughed, about to say something that would no doubt embarrass the couple. "Kagome seems happy now. What did you two do in that cave last night?"

"We slept," the Shichinintai leader replied boldly. "That's all."

"OOooooh! You slept together!" Jakotsu gasped, giggling evilly.

"Bankotsu!" Kagome yelled, turning pink. "Don't say things like that!"

"Say what?"

"Pervert!"

"I am not a pervert!" Bankotsu cried, trying to defend himself. He really had no clue what they were talking about. "Come on you idiots. Let's look for that little boy."

---------------

"Kagome, what does your brother look like?" Jakotsu asked as they made their way through a forest that was blocking the mountains Renkotsu had told them to search. "Maybe we already passed by him?"

"No," Kagome replied calmly. "I'd have seen him already. He's short...with black hair...and brown eyes."

"That's a great description," the cross-dresser moaned, rolling his eyes.

"We're near the mountains now," Renkotsu announced when the forest became filled with fog.

"Keep your eyes open!" Bankotsu yelled to the group following his lead. Kagome was in the back with Jakotsu, looking for her brother frantically.

"I wonder if he's okay," she whispered to herself. Just then she tripped over something and fell to her knees. "Ouch!"

"Kagome! Are you okay?" Jakotsu asked worriedly. "What happened?"

"I tripped," Kagome replied, rubbing her scratched knees. "What'd I fall over?"

"A shoe." Jakotsu held up a white sneaker and Kagome's eyes instantly widened.

"Souta's shoe!" she cried, grabbing the object from Jakotsu and looking over it. The shoe was covered in mud and torn in many places. "Souta? Are you okay? Where are you?"

"Kagome, this mud is already dry. If your brother was here...he would have left a long time ago," Jakotsu told her, trying to calm her down.

"Or maybe he didn't leave at all," Mukotsu said evilly, catching everyone's attention.

"Did you find something?" Bankotsu asked as he walked over to the poison master. His eyes fell upon a pile of bones, dressed in the same style of clothes Kagome wore.

"Souta?" Kagome whimpered when she caught sight of the bones. "Oh my gosh..."

"Poor Kagome," a familiar female voice laughed, causing the group to cringe. "Horrified by her brothers body? That's too bad."

The Shichinintai looked around the dark forest, but where unable to find anything in the fog. "Yura, where are you?" Jakotsu asked the fog angrily. "You can't take Kagome!"

"I already did," Yura laughed. Suddenly Kagome felt herself being pulled into the fog and though she tried to fight it, disappeared from sight. "Bankotsu!"

"Kagome!" the Shichinintai leader screamed as he chased after the two women. After a while he stopped running and slammed his Banryuu into the ground. "I lost her," he growled, angry with himself and Yura.

-----------

"Is she alive?" a male voice asked.

"Yes she's alive!" Yura yelled. "Do you think I'd kill her?"

_What's happening? Where am I?_ Kagome thought to herself. She refused to open her eyes. She was just so tired...

"You never know. She did kill you."

"Master! Why are you so cruel!"

"Not cruel. The truth."

_Who are they...? They're voices are so familiar._

"Kagome," the male voice said softly, his voice filled with malice. Was it toward her? "I know you're awake. Open your eyes."

_This has happened before. That same voice called you to the well...Who is it? _Kagome slowly opened her eyes and found a tall man standing over her, a sadistic smiled plastered on his face. "Who are you?" she asked weakly, fear quickly overcoming her senses.

"Don't be scared," the man said, his voice now gentle and kind.

_Is he bipolar? _"What do you want with me?" she asked, regaining her courage. She was sitting in a dark room, and she couldn't see the mans face. She knew the woman behind him was Yura, but who was he? Another one of Naraku's demons? All she could see was the kind smile he had, reason enough for her to fear him.

"You don't remember me?" he asked, sounding amused. "I have changed."

"Maybe she needs a beating," Yura hissed angrily.

"Knock it off. You will not harm her. Go turn on some lights."

"Yes Master." Yura disappeared, leaving Kagome alone with the familiar stranger. Suddenly, a fire in the front of the room was lit, blinding Kagome with it's bright light. When her eyes focused she seemed to be sitting on the floor of a castle, the grounded decorated with smooth tiles.

"Now Kagome, look at me." Kagome reluctantly looked up at the man before her. He was tall with long black hair tied back into a pony tail, his eyes an intense brown. He must have been about Bankotsu's age and a warrior, because of the samurai armor he wore. But all together...there was something about him. Suddenly, the worst possible idea came to her mind, nagging her to confirm it. Though she dreaded the reply, she forced herself to utter his name.

"Souta?" she asked weakly.

The man smiled a sincere smile when he heard her speak. "Hello Sis," he replied, sounding creepier than he'd meant. As Kagome looked up at him in horror his sincere smiled turned to an impish grin. "I'm glad you're back."

CHAPTER END

**

* * *

**

**NEXT CHAPTER: Childs Play**

_With Souta evil and working with Naraku, life couldn't possibly get harder for Kagome...or could it? When Inuyasha shows up to rescue the modern priestess will he be able to hold back against Souta, or just smash him up like any other piece of junk?_

**

* * *

**

That was a REALLY fluffy chapter, But hey, Kagome was needing to have an emotional break down! Unfortunately for our cute couple, their troubles aren't over! And, just for fun...How many shards does Bankotsu have? How many does Banryuu have? Can you guess hmmm? Please review for muwah!


	11. Childs Play

Happy Halloween! Sorry about the long wait, but as you all should know by now, I'm having time problems between school, family, and just plain time. Thanks forwaiting with me!Lol, thanks everyone, for the support! In short...I love you guys! Here's the next chapter!

**STORY NOTE: I've finally came to a decision. No lemon. Ever in this story. Just. Pure. Fluff. Thanks for understanding!**

**

* * *

**

Disclaimer: I do not own Inuyasha only some of the random things that I make up.

Warnings: OOC (some characters) , mild language

Key:_ thought , _"speech" **flashback **_"in head speech"_

**

* * *

**

**ReCaPrEcApReCaPrEcApReCaPrEcApReCaPrEcApReCaPrEcApReCaP**

**LAST TIME... **

"Now Kagome, look at me." Kagome reluctantly looked up at the man before her. He was tall with long black hair tied back into a pony tail, his eyes an intense brown. He must have been about Bankotsu's age and a warrior, because of the samurai armor he wore. But all together...there was something about him. Suddenly, the worst possible idea came to her mind, nagging her to confirm it. Though she dreaded the reply, she forced herself to utter his name.

"Souta?" she asked weakly.

The man smiled a sincere smile when he heard her speak. "Hello Sis," he replied, sounding creepier than he'd meant. As Kagome looked up at him in horror his sincere smiled turned to an impish grin. "I'm glad you're back."

**ReCaPrEcApReCaPrEcApReCaPrEcApReCaPrEcApReCaPrEcApReCaP**

**

* * *

**

_My pain is your pain..._

_Your suffering is my suffering..._

_This is the conversation we had during our separation._

_But now...This is just a distant memory._

_My heart is the toy of a child._

Catch you Catch Kagome

**CHAPTER ELEVEN: Childs Play**

"Souta," Kagome said once more, her eyes swelling up with tears. "Is that really you?"

"It is," Souta replied, pulling her into an embrace. He smiled as her familiar scent filled his head, reminding him of the life they'd once had. "I've realized something, this past week. I can't rely on someone else protecting you. If I want you safe I'll have to do it myself."

Though her brothers embrace was warm and loving, something didn't feel right. This wasn't the little brother she remembered leaving behind. This man was possessive and cruel. This man was an imposture. "You've changed," she whispered into his chest, all sadness erased from her voice.

"Is that a crime?" he asked playfully, pulling away and staring into her chocolate eyes. "I've changed for the better. I'll never break your heart. I'll never let your heart be broken. I will give you a happiness you can't even imagine." Souta slowly stood up and turned his back to his sister, a wicked smile on his face. "All I need is your smile...you're support. Nothing else."

"What do you plan to do...?"

"This world...no, this past is corrupt. It's this past that has corrupt our future. With help, I will destroy this past and make our future much brighter. I will find the link to our time and break it. You and I will rule this era together." He turned to Kagome, and though his smile was now sincere and loving, it sent chills down her spine. "That way I can give you the greatest happiness possible."

"We can't do that!" Kagome exclaimed. "I'm safe, I thought you were going to take me home!"

"Why go home, when I can give you a much better home here. All I have to do is destroy your friends. Then the two of us can live together somewhere. I'll be able to protect you forever."

"Souta!"

"Go easy on her," a young boys voice laughed from a dark corner in the room. "She's frightened." Out of the darkness stepped a young boy...

"Kohaku?" Kagome shouted in surprise. "What are you-"

"Surprised to me?" Kohaku laughed evilly. "I am Souta's partner. Silly huh? Two brothers, working to save their sisters. Though, unlike Souta, I have a different fate in mind for my dear Sango."

"Souta...what's happened to you two?" Kagome cried out in horror. It wasn't everyday you find out your brother is working with your friend's brother to destroy the era.

"Souta, where is Naraku? That fool had better not disobey you again. It's amazing he tried to get to Kagome on his own." Kohaku said to Souta, ignoring Kagome's question. "What would he had done? He should know he hasn't the power to stand against us."

"Yes, he's waiting in the dungeon chambers. I've revived Hiten and he's guarding the foolish ape. He dared try and harm Kagome. He's lucky we're giving him another chance."

"Don't worry about your sister. I'll stay with her while you go and tend to your duties. I'm sure you're busy?"

"Yeah," Souta replied, brushing his hand through his bangs. "I've got a few more dead demons and whatnot to revive. Take care of Kagome."

"No problem." When Souta vanished, the younger boy turned to Kagome and gave her a friendly smile. "Fear not Miss Kagome. You will not be harmed."

"Kohaku, tell me what is happening. What'd you do to my brother? What happened to you?"

"Calm down," Kohaku laughed, amused by the amount of worry in her innocent voice. "I'll explain everything to you. When Souta joined me...you see, he was quite weak. No amount of power could make a small boy of his knowledge strong. So, I used my powers to age him and give him but a small fraction of my new powers. However, he was able to make the power I gave him into more than an image of my own strength. He's able to revive to dead. Very useful indeed."

"That doesn't explain yourself."

"Well...Kagome, you need not concern yourself with my strength. After all, if it weren't for Souta, I could care little of your existence. My target...is Inuyasha."

"What do you have against him?" Kagome asked in wonder, not recalling any reason for Kohaku to hate the half demon.

"That reminds me...It wasn't Inuyasha who betrayed you. My spider demons possessed Miroku...and our deaf Naraku took shape of Inuyasha. Clever wasn't it? All that to get you away from him. However, your running to Bankotsu wasn't part of it."

"I asked you a question."

"And it's none of your business as stated before. Sleep now, Souta will return within a few hours." Before Kagome could resist, Kohaku brushed his hand across her face and she found herself falling into a deep and peaceful slumber.

"Master Kohaku," Yura's voice asked as she approached the said boy. "What are you doing to her?"

"If she is left alone for an entire day, her memory will be completely erased. I'm preparing her for happiness."

"Did Souta ask you too?"

"He is well aware that she'll be unable to find any happiness with the memories she holds. It was his idea to make new ones."

"I owe much to you," Yura mumbled, bowing respectively. "If it weren't for your awaking Master Souta, I would not be here right now."

"You give me too much credit," Kohaku replied smiling. "Watch her for me."

--------------

"Dammit! Where'd they take Kagome?" Bankotsu screamed in anger as he pounded his fist against the cave wall, leaving a large hole. "I should have done something more! Why didn't I see it coming!"

"Brother Bankotsu," Jakotsu said worriedly. "Don't beat yourself up. Under the circumstances it couldn't be helped. We'll find her." All of the Shichinintai were standing around their leader, trying to calm his nerves. It was obvious he was upset, but they didn't know the half of it. They'd spent the entire day looking for the modern priestess and not even a single hair showed up. It was as if she'd disappeared from the world.

"Will we?" Bankotsu asked, laughing, not because he was happy, but laughing at the situation, laughing at himself. "Have we found her yet? Is she safe in my arms?" He turned to his men, his face stripped of all emotion. "I don't know where she is. I don't know who has her. I don't know...if she's alive."

"If she dies, we can have Mukotsu's ex-wife revive her!" Jakotsu announced, trying to be optimistic.

"Would she want that?" asked the teen, his voice now miserable. "I don't care if I could bring her back. Nothing I could ever give her would make up for the life she lost. When I touch her, I want her to be warm, to feel alive, to respond to my touch. I don't her body to be cold like mine." He lowered his head in defeat and for a moment, the Shichinintai thought they saw a tear fall down his cheek. "Death wouldn't fit her. It'd ruin the spirit I love so much."

"I see," was all Jakotsu could say as he stared in awe. The Shichinintai knew their leader liked Kagome, but the term "love" didn't seem to suit his cool demeanor. Could he really care for her so much, with every ounce of his being? How much would he be willing to give for her? _Everything._ Jakotsu thought to himself. _If Bankotsu had a life to give, he'd give it to her. _

"BIG BROTHER?" Kyoukotsu mumbled, breaking the silence. "KAGOME WILL BE SAFE. DO NOT WORRY. TOGETHER WE WILL LOOK FOR HER AND SHE WILL SHOW UP SOON."

"How do you figure?"

"She loves you too," Suikotsu answered for him, though it pained him to say. Bankotsu's face became soft and he nodded slowly to the doctor. "She won't leave you so easily."

"Thank you," Bankotsu mumbled, turning from the group. "Everyone. I thank you for taking care of me..."

_Bankotsu is very brittle at the moment. I'm sure he'd break at the slightest hint of stress. Now would be the perfect time to plot with Renkotsu! I'm sure Jakotsu won't let him wander around while he's in this state, _Mukotsu thought evilly to himself. He turned to Renkotsu and the two seemed to communicate telepathically. Once the two understood each other, and while the rest of the group was comforting the sulky Bankotsu, they took the opportunity to slip away unnoticed...or so they thought.

_Those two are up to no good..._ Suikotsu thought angrily as he watched the two sneak out of the cave, his eyes turning to narrow slits._ I need to care for Big Brother though..._

"Suikotsu, where are they going?" Bankotsu asked, his voice somewhat weak.

"I'm sure to look for Kagome," Suikotsu replied with a smile, hiding his true feelings, and trying to comfort the distraught teen. _They'd better be..._

---------

Souta was standing outside a steel door, still somewhere inside the castle he'd been before. Standing by his side was Kagura, Kana, and a slightly angered Hiten. "I brought them as you requested," Hiten said to Souta, his voice filled with malice. Kana and Kagura stood before Souta trembling. On the other side of the steel door was their master Naraku, and chances were he wouldn't be happy with them, but dealing with Souta wouldn't be any walk in the park either.

"Thank you Hiten," Souta said, his voice calm and kind.

"The thanks is mine," answered Hiten, with the same malice as before. _Master Souta is emotionally unstable...and yet he still holds such power over me..._

"Kagura and Kana," the master said kindly, turning to the two shivering demons. "Naraku holds your life in his hands, does he not."

"Yes," Kagura answered bravely, fearing whatever the outcome of the meeting would be.

"Give me your services and I can give you your lives. If Naraku kills you, I will merely revive you. However, you'll be revived without any strings to him."

"But our string will be held by you?" Kana asked innocently.

"That is true," Souta replied. "Really, when it comes down to it, you have no choice. Take a new master or die." The way Souta said it, with such enthusiasm and cheer made Kagura sick to her stomach. But what other choices did she have.

"Very well, I accept," replied the wind demon. _I hate Naraku any ways and this Souta man doesn't seem to bad..._

"And you Kana?" he asked.

"I'll follow Kagura," the demon girl answered.

"Great!" Souta laughed happily. "Now for Naraku." Souta slowly opened the steel door and stepped inside the cold damp room it was hiding. Sitting in the corner of the room, in a ball of agony, was Naraku.

"Are you here to take my life?" Naraku asked curiously, hiding the pain he felt.

"Not yet," Souta replied, kneeling down to Naraku's level on the floor. "Geez, when Kohaku punishes someone...He really did a number on you. Any ways, your two minions are mine now. I just wanted to know if you'd take another chance."

"You would spare me?" Naraku asked in shock, yet happy his life could be saved.

"You know that no amount of power you obtain will defeat Kohaku and I as we are. You are nothing but a crab with a hard shell. But shells can be crushed. Join me again, and don't betray me."

"Fine," answered the demon, his spirit slightly damaged. "I will be your...follower."

Souta smiled and held out his hand, helping Naraku to his feet. The instant Naraku touched the young mans hand, he felt his body begin to heal itself. Souta was healing him. "Go forth with Kana and Kagura and wait for orders. You may wander the castle but not leave it." Naraku nodded in obedience, hardly able to believe that he was about to take orders from the modern priestesses brother! "Oh...and by the way. You have no control over Kana and Kagura. You are their equal. Harm them and die."

Souta led Naraku out of the cell and approached Hiten. "Do you wish for me to show them around?" Hiten asked, hoping to escape his masters frightening gaze.

"No," Souta replied, "I'd like for you to stay and talk with me in private." Naraku and the two girls took the hint and quickly left the two men in silence. When the three had disappeared, Souta's gaze softened slightly. "Hiten...I get the feeling you're upset with me."

"Of course I'm upset," Hiten replied angrily, still keeping his place. "You revived my brother and I and turned us into your slaves."

"Aren't you happy to breathe again?"

"Not if I'm held by chains."

"This is about your brother isn't it?" Souta asked, a smirk forming on his face. "I figured if I revived both of you, you'd continue to be defiant."

"Bankotsu killed us! Why couldn't you just leave me to be dead! Why did you bring me back again?" Hiten screamed, losing his temper. However, that was a mistake he'd learn to regret.

"Shut up," Souta snapped, slamming the thunder demon into the wall, holding him by his throat. "I gave you life again and let you do what you pleased. You nearly killed my sister and on top of it all, you've been more than a little irritating. I brought you back despite all the trouble you've caused." His grip on Hiten's neck tightened, cutting off the demons air supply. "Your service to me will be your apology. If you want me to revive your beloved brother as well, then become my loyal servant and submit!"

"Just kill me!" Hiten choked, wishing he was dead again.

"Why would I give you death? Hell is far too good for the likes of you. If you cross me, I'll send you to hell and bring you back a thousand times as punishment, making each death worse than the previous." Souta released his grip and let Hiten drop to the ground, gasping for air. "Think about it or I'll find ways to tear your soul apart."

"I hate you," Hiten muttered under his breath as he watched his master disappear into the darkness of the hallway.

------------------------

"Mukotsu," Renkotsu growled beneath his breath once the two of them were away from the cave. "You'd better have a good reason for bringing me out here."

"Oh I do," replied the poison master.

"Then what is it?" Renkotsu inquired anxiously. "Tell me or else!"

"I despise Big Brother. At the moment he is emotionally weak, which means he'll have his guard down for awhile. Let us join and attack."

"You fool," Renkotsu hissed, turning his back to his comrade. "Have you learned nothing of our leader? He is emotionally weak, that may be true...but because of that his guard is twice as strong. If we were to piss him off, no doubt he wouldn't think twice of spilling our blood. The little amount of remorse he'd show afterwards scares me."

"I suppose you're correct..."

"A man...offered me something," Renkotsu began, catching Mukotsu's attention. "Naraku and the man who defeated Bankotsu. If we join with them..."

"I see your point," Mukotsu laughed. "Count me in."

"We leave when he comes for us."

"While we're on the subject...How'd you like Suikotsu to tag along?"

Renkotsu raised his eyebrow in suspicion, wondering what Mukotsu was planning. "Your plan?" he asked eagerly.

"Blackmail. Suikotsu has a thing for Kagome. If we were to tell Bankotsu, he'd probably be very much upset. Suikotsu wouldn't want Bankotsu or Kagome to know of his love for her. We can use that to our advantage. The less men Big Brother has on his side, the greater our chances."

"Very well," Renkotsu laughed, "we blackmail Suikotsu."

---------------------

_"Kagome?"_ a voice asked, echoing through Kagome's head. _"Kagome? Are you there?"_

_"Who are you?"_ Kagome asked to voice. _"Leave me to be."_ Kagome was lying on the cold floor of the castle, lost in a deep slumber, a peaceful smile on her face.

_"Don't be so sad."_

_"Why not? I'm lost," _she replied to the voice.

_"Then find yourself..."_

_"Who are you?" _Kagome inquired anxiously, hoping the voice would answer.

_"It's me, Bankotsu," _he answered, his voice tender and more loving than ever. _"You're giving up. Don't give in."_

_"I'm so scared," _she replied, tears falling from her eyes. _"I don't remember...who you are."_

_"Don't be scared. It makes me sad."_

_"Why can't I remember?"_

_"Don't give in to the lies. This feeling of tranquillity is a lie. You're not happy."_

_"Help me...I can't move," _she mumbled.

_"Open your mind...Let me break the spell," _Bankotsu told her eagerly. _"Please."_

_"Okay..." _she replied, relaxing her nerves.

An image came to her mind suddenly. She saw a young man with a long black braid sitting in a tree. At first, he didn't seem very important, but when she noticed the pain in his eyes, how he could barely hold himself up because he was overcome with exhaustion, a strange sadness entered her heart. Why did she feel this mans pain? Was he important...?

_"Bankotsu!"_ she exclaimed upon remembering who the young man was. _"It's you! I remember!"_

"Do you now?" a familiar and eerie voice laughed. "We can't have that." Souta towered over his sister, a dark and menacing expression on his face. "She's mine Bankotsu."

Before Kagome could manage to wake up, Souta touched her forehead and cut Bankotsu off. Once again Kagome found herself in a false paradise and easily submitted, forgetting everything she'd remembered.

"Never again sister. I will, at all costs, try my hardest to keep that man from you. Don't worry, you'll thank me later." When Souta looked down at his sisters sleeping body, he noticed her peaceful smile, it brought such joy to his heart, however, the tears running down her rosy cheeks bothered him...

_My pain is your pain..._

_Your suffering is my suffering..._

_This is the conversation we had during our separation._

_But now...This is just a distant memory._

_My heart is the toy of a child._

"The tears you cause her to cry are pointless," a cold and angry voice said, echoing through the darkness. "And you call yourself her brother."

"Inuyasha?" Souta laughed in amusement. "I thought Kagome told you to scat like a good puppy."

Inuyasha ignored Souta's insult and directed his eyes towards the sleeping girl as he walked out of the darkness and into the light. "Kagome, I don't care if you don't like me...I love you..."

"Bah!" Souta snickered again in delight. "What kind of friend leaves her with the Band of Seven, no matter what she cries?"

"Quiet Souta!" the half demon snapped back, becoming himself again. "What kind of brother hurts his sister? I'm gonna smack you around a little and put you in your place you spoiled little brat!"

"Go ahead and try me," Souta laughed, getting into a fighting stance. "At the moment I'm unarmed, but I won't be as easy to defeat as you assume."

"Is that so?" Inuyasha laughed back, pulling out his Tetsusaiga. "Why don't we find out?" The half demon lunged towards Souta, only for the young man to dodge it easily. Angered by Souta's speed, Inuyasha tried a few more times to land a hit on his opponent, but each time his sword came down, Souta moved away as if it was fly. _I can't hurt him..._ Inuyasha thought to himself, knowing that if he did, Kagome would have a real reason to hate him. "Stop running away you coward!"

"Am I?" Souta asked, slightly irritated by the name calling. Inuyasha took this chance to swing another hit at Souta. "Am I a coward now?" Souta asked again, catching the blade in his left hand and tossing it back at Inuyasha.

_He stopped the Tetsusaiga with one hand! _Inuyasha grit his teeth in annoyance. "I have to get Kagome out of here," he muttered to himself.

"My power comes from a darker and greater power than yours. Even with that stick...you could not even dream to defeat me." A grin appeared on his face as he looked at the half demon in disgust. "To think, a weak fool like you has been protecting my sister for so long. It's time to end that..."

The half demon stepped back, fearing what Souta was about to do. _If he's this strong without his weapon...I hate to think about him when he's fully prepared. I have to end this now... _"Wind Scar!" Inuyasha directed the attack at Souta's left arm and was happy when his attack meet it's destination.

"I wasn't expecting that," Souta mumbled as he rubbed his bloody arm. "But you're still a fool."

Inuyasha threw yet another wind scar at Souta, this time, however, Souta blocked the attack with his wounded arm and sent it flying into the wall beside him. "The hell?"

"Good try, but it won't work." Slowly Souta began to approach Inuyasha, sending every wind scar attack behind him, not feeling any pain at all.

_He only blocks with his left arm. _Inuyasha observed. _His right arm must be the one he attacks with..._When Souta was a few feet away from the half demon, Inuyasha jumped back in horror. "What are you?"

"A monster," Souta laughed, "let me show you how a real monster fights." He held up his palm and a bright blue ball appeared and began glowing, mixing with fire and electricity. "Tetra Extreme!" he shouted as he threw the ball of elements at his enemy, the attack growing larger every second.

"I've got no choice, I'm sorry Kagome!" Inuyasha stood his ground and readied the Tetsusaiga. "Backlash Wave!"

CHAPTER END

**

* * *

**

**NEXT CHAPTER: Allies**

_Inuyasha sends his most powerful attack on Souta, but will the young man live through it and be able to return to his cute little self? And poor Kagome, will she ever wake up to remember her one true love?_

**

* * *

**

BY THE WAY...

The conversation Kagome had with Bankotsu was taking place inside her head, since she was asleep and all...

Anyways, How'd ya like that chapter? Well well, alright...listen. I've already started on the next chapter...so you can all celebrate that I'm not letting my work eat all of my time...Til next chapter!


	12. Allies

_I know what you're thinking..."SHE FINALLY UPDATED!" Yeah, I took forever. I've had a very busy life you know! Onto more important things! _

_Many of you are probably wondering about Souta's little obsession with his sister...heheheh...But no, really, he's a tad creepy...but he's got good intentions and...evil, but nice plans for her. So, you'll have to keep reading to find out what he's thinking, weither it be normal...orfreakish.Hummm...I wonder how many readers I lost last chapter..._

**STORY NOTE:**

**

* * *

**

Disclaimer: I do not own Inuyasha only some of the random things that I make up.

Warnings: OOC (some characters) , mild language

Key:_ thought , _"speech" **flashback **_"in head speech"_

**

* * *

**

**ReCaPrEcApReCaPrEcApReCaPrEcApReCaPrEcApReCaPrEcApReCaP**

**LAST TIME... **

Inuyasha threw yet another wind scar at Souta, this time, however, Souta blocked the attack with his wounded arm and sent it flying into the wall beside him. "The hell?"

"Good try, but it won't work." Slowly Souta began to approach Inuyasha, sending every wind scar attack behind him, not feeling any pain at all.

_He only blocks with his left arm. _Inuyasha observed. _His right arm must be the one he attacks with..._When Souta was a few feet away from the half demon, Inuyasha jumped back in horror. "What are you?"

"A monster," Souta laughed, "let me show you how a real monster fights." He held up his palm and a bright blue ball appeared and began glowing, mixing with fire and electricity. "Tetra Extreme!" he shouted as he threw the ball of elements at his enemy, the attack growing larger every second.

"I've got no choice, I'm sorry Kagome!" Inuyasha stood his ground and readied the Tetsusaiga. "Backlash Wave!"

**ReCaPrEcApReCaPrEcApReCaPrEcApReCaPrEcApReCaPrEcApReCaP**

**

* * *

**

Catch you Catch Kagome

**CHAPTER TWELVE: Allies**

"Brother Bankotsu? Are you okay?" Jakotsu asked his leader, worriedly as he entered the cave to find Bankotsu leaning against the wall he'd held Kagome earlier. "Are you still moping?"

"I talked to her," the Shichinintai leader mumbled. "She's in trouble..."

"Brother Bankotsu..." Jakotsu sighed sadly.

"Jakotsu?"

"Yes?"

"Get everyone together. Where going out again." Bankotsu stood up, now with a strong will and aura. "We're not going to rest until she's back with us. After all, she's one of us."

"Big Brother!" Jakotsu sang happily. "I'm so proud!" The cross dresser ran over to his leader and quickly but affectionately gave Bankotsu the biggest and wettest kiss on the cheek he'd ever received.

"EWWWWW!"

---------------

"I've got no choice, I'm sorry Kagome!" Inuyasha stood his ground and readied the Tetsusaiga. "Backlash Wave!" Inuyasha watched sadly but with confidence as he directed the attack back at Souta. When the attack hit and the smoke cleared, nothing was left but a large hole in the castle wall. "I'm sorry Souta, but it seems you weren't strong enough."

"Is that your strongest attack?" Souta's voice asked from behind the half demon. "I assumed it'd be stronger."

"Souta?" Inuyasha exclaimed in horror, turning around only to be punched in the face. The half demon drew back in anger, clutching his bloody jaw. "How the hell did you survive?"

"It didn't hit me," Souta replied blandly. "If it'd hit me, now doubt I'd have died. I realized one thing about the attack, it's just like your other ones. I was able to block it easily, if not easier. After all, you were sending my attack at me. Sadly for you Inuyasha, you are and will always be a pathetic half demon, not worthy of my sisters affection."

"Damn," Inuyasha growled, stepping back again. _He's switching to offensive...But he has to have a weakness. As long as he doesn't have a weapon...he can only attack from a close distance. If I keep away he can't hit me, but I can't hit him either..._

"You should give up Inuyasha, you look tired."

"Shut yer hole!" Inuyasha yelled, sheathing his Tetsusaiga again. "I'm gonna crush you!" The two men ran up to each other and began exchanging punches, however, only a few ever hit Souta. Each time Inuyasha would strike, the young man would defend with his left and then counter with the right. Before the half demon knew it, he was on the ground, barely able to move.

"Are you ready to call it quits?" Souta asked, mockingly. "Or should I pound your head into the ground first?"

Inuyasha looked up at Souta from his spot on the floor, his eyes filled with hate. "Die."

"Impudent worm!" Souta barked, stepping on the demons head and forcing it into the tile, adding more weight every second. His eyes turned red with blood lust and just before he smashed the dog demons head, he was interrupted.

"Master Souta?" a female voice asked softly.

"What?" Souta asked angrily.

"Kohaku has asked for your presence."

"Not now, I'm busy."

"He says it's important."

"Fine..." Reluctantly, Souta removed his foot from the demons head and turned to the girl who was no older than seven. Obviously she'd been a village girl that had died, and Souta had brought her back to serve in the castle. Though Souta was angry, he saw no point in venting his frustrations on the young girl. He'd find someone else later.

An hour later, Inuyasha slowly lifted his head and waited for his vision to clear. The first thing he saw was Kagome sleeping peacefully. Fear over came him as he crawled to her side and violently shook her. "Kagome, wake up! Please open your eyes! Don't forget me!" he cried, afraid that he'd never see her smile again. Afraid that he'd never be able to make up for all the wrongs he done.

"Inuyasha?" she mumbled softly, opening her eyes to find the silver haired demon kneeling beside her. "You came to save me?" she asked, her eyes swelling up with tears.

"Of course," he replied. "I wouldn't let anything happen to you. Ever."

"How did you find me?"

"I'll tell you later."

Suddenly, realization dawned upon the young girl and she realized what was happening. "Inuyasha!" she cried, sitting up and throwing her arms around his neck. "I'm so sorry! All those things I said, I didn't mean any of them."

"I know," Inuyasha replied. "I forgave you."

"Hello?" a voice asked, causing Inuyasha to jump up. "If you two want to escape, I can help." The voice belonged to the same little girl who'd saved Inuyasha by delivering a message to Souta. "Follow me."

-----------

With the help of the servant girl, both Inuyasha and Kagome were free and currently going through yet another dark forest. It was in fact, the dead of night. Kagome held onto Inuyasha shoulders tightly as he carried her on his back, not wanting to put her down and risk losing her again. Kagome smiled softly when she felt his grip on her legs tighten, almost possessively. He'd really missed her. _Missed me...? Aren't I missing someone? _Kagome thought hard for a moment, then all of her memories returned to her. _Bankotsu! _

Inuyasha's running slowly came to a stop, and he carefully set the modern priestess down on her feet. "Kagome," he mumbled, gazing into her chocolate brown eyes. "You wanted to know how I found you..."

"Yeah," she replied, nodding.

"I heard some villagers speaking about a group of men looking for you, that one of them was an emotional wreck...Then I picked up your scent and found you with Souta. Do you want to explain what's going on?"

Kagome's gaze dropped to the ground as se contemplated telling him. "Souta and Kohaku are working together...Or something like that. Kohaku gave Souta some of his power and it made Souta grow older," she told him. Then, slowly and clearly, explained everything Kohaku and her brother had both told her.

"I see," Inuyasha said in awe, not wanting to believe what he was hearing. It all sounded so insane. What he didn't' know about, was why Souta came to the feudal era, or about the dream with Bankotsu. The last thing she wanted was Bankotsu and Inuyasha killing each other. Suddenly, and with out her realizing it, she found herself in the half demons arms, his breathing slightly heavy. "I was so worried," he muttered into her hair. _I love you, I love you! Say it before it's to late!_

Kagome closed her eyes as a tear trickled down her cheek. She knew what Inuyasha was thinking, she felt the same way. But she also loved Bankotsu...How could she choose? _Now is not the time to be thinking about this, we can sort our feelings out later. _"Inuyasha," the raven hair girl said sternly. "Take me to the others. We need to do something about those two."

Inuyasha seemed somewhat surprised by her bold attitude. Since when did she become the leader type? "Gotcha," he replied, suppressing a smile.

----------------

Souta stood in the room his prisoners had once been, seeming slightly pissed off. Standing behind him in silence was Kohaku and the young servant girl. "So you helped them escape?" Souta asked, trying to hide the irritation in his voice..

"Now now," Kohaku chuckled warningly, "she's only a child. Don't be to hard on her."

Slowly Souta turned to the girl and looked down upon her, smiling at her terrified face. "That's a really cute face...I should tear it off," he spat, causing her to back up into Kohaku.

"Master Kohaku!" she cried, burring her face into the older boys chest.

"I'm not the one who revived you," Kohaku told her, his voice still calm and friendly. "I can't help you this time."

"I gave you life and a home...You repay me by sabotaging my plans and disobeying my orders?" the teen yelled, causing the girl to become quiet. She keep her face pressed into Kohaku's chest, fearful that she may lose it. Souta stared at the sobbing child and suddenly his expression became soft and loving, as if he'd remembered what it'd been like as a child. "I'm sorry," he soothed, holding out his arms. She quickly ran into them,shivering as he embraced her. "Don't do anything like that again. You don't get anymore chances."

"I'm sorry!" she cried, tears still pouring from her eyes.

"Souta," Kohaku spoke up, now serious. "You're not stable. You may want to rest for a few days. Let me and Naraku handle things for awhile."

"Very well," Souta replied, looking down at the servant girl in his arms. "I have some work to do with this child. Her name...is now Rani."

"Thank you Master Souta," Rani whispered, looking up at the older boy with teary eyes. If only Souta was himself, if only he was young again...he would have noticed the love in the her sad eyes.

----------

When Kagome and Inuyasha left the forest, they had hoped to find their party waiting, but instead found a familiar wolf demon. "KAGOME!" Kouga screamed at the top of his lungs, tackling Inuyasha and pulling the said girl off his back. "Are you okay?"

"Kouga?" Kagome asked, blinking in confusion. "What happened to you?"

Kouga was soaking wet, his hair no longer held by his pony tail, and small scratches covered all places visible on his body. The wolf demon was a mess. "Well, when I went to save you, the Band of Seven poisoned me and threw me into the river..."

**"We could use him to our advantage later. I'll get the smelly flower. Watch him Jakotsu." Bankotsu left and came back with the flower and shoved it up Kouga's nose. As soon as he appeared, Suikotsu popped up with a small bottle that he figured once belonged to Mukotsu and poured it's contents into the demons mouth, making him drink it. "Now...Throw him into the river."**

**"What river?" Renkotsu asked, wondering where there was a river.**

**"Uhh...the river that's far far far away from here," Bankotsu replied, grinning. "I have to go tend to the girl...Oh yeah, and once you're done dumping the wolf's body...Go pick up that food I asked you to get."**

"What river?" Inuyasha asked sarcastically, standing up and brushing the dust from his outfit.

"The river that's far far far away from here," Kouga replied, grinning. "Wanna see it for yourself, mutt?"

"You wanna try me?"

"Inuyasha," Kagome warned, wanting him to shut up. "Continue Kouga."

"Any ways," he continued, acting as if nothing had happened. "That memory potion they gave me forget where the cave was...Any ways, I woke up in the river and couldn't pick up anyone's scent anywhere. So I wandered and wandered...then my scent came back." Kouga suddenly grabbed Kagome's hand and gazed into her eyes. "The first thing I could smell...was you Kagome."

"Are you saying I stink?" the raven haired girl exclaimed, slapping the demon across the face.

"That's not what I mean!" he cried. "Kagome!"

"Just give it up, wolf," Inuyasha snapped angrily. "You're wasting our time."

"Well!" Kouga barked, becoming offensive. "Obviously Kagome isn't safe with you. So, I'll be tagging along, just to make sure nothing happens to her again!" _While I'm at it, I'll make her fall for me!_

"Why don't we return to the others? I'm anxious to see them again," Kagome said nervously, trying to stop another fight from starting.

"Yes," Kouga replied, again, acting cool. "You must be feeling very distraught!" Then, against Inuyasha's wishes and Kagome's protests, the wolf demon picked her up and threw her over his shoulder. "I will take you to your friends!" He then ran off, leaving Inuyasha behind to yell.

When Kouga finally stopped running, Kagome found herself surrouned by familiar company. "Kagome!" little Shippo cried, jumping into her arms. Her friends were actually quite close to where she'd met up with Kouga. They'd set up a camp beside the road and everyone seemed pleased to have her back.

"Hey Shippo," she giggled, brushing her hands through his orange hair. "I missed you too."

"Kagome, it's nice to have you back!" Sango exclaimed, happy that she was no longer the only woman in the group.

"Yes," Miroku replied. "It was quite lonely without your lovely face."

"Was it?" The young girl laughed back. "I'm glad to be here again. Sorry about-"

"-You don't have to be sorry," Kouga interrupted.

"Kouga's right," Miroku agreed, "Your being back is enough."

"In fact," Shippo mumbled, now somewhat confused. "Why'd you come back."

"You should tell them what you told me," Inuyasha's voice said loudly as he approached the group, slightly angry that Kouga had stolen Kagome from him.

"Tell us what?" inquired Sango worriedly.

"Truth is," mumbled the young girl softly. "I need everyone's help." Tears fell down her cheeks as she prepared to tell them her story. However, they were quickly dried by a concerned Inuyasha.

"If you don't feel up to telling them, you can wait until morning," he said, his voice tender and loving. He was trying his best to understand the pain she was feeling, even though he didn't know the half of her story, only a fragment.

"It's just that, it's still hard to believe. And I have to keep talking about it, reminding myself of it. This isn't something that's going to go away. I need to be strong," she told him. Though Kouga hated what was going on, he decided to stand to the side and let his rival comfort the girl. She only needed one man to try her tears. Of course, this didn't mean he was giving up on her.

"It's okay," the half demon soothed, pulling her into his arms. "We're with you. We can support you."

Kagome rested her head against his shoulder and looked towards the trees. What she saw; however, was Bankotsu's face staring back at her. A pained expression on his face and an anger in his eyes.

CHAPTER END

**

* * *

**

**NEXT CHAPTER: Reunion**

Bankotsu and Kagome are reunited along with the rest of the Shichinintai, but will their reunion be peaceful? And when another demon makes an appearance, it can only spell trouble for everyone involved!

**

* * *

**

_Great place for a hanger!_

_Muwhaha, so the title begins to make since, everyone wants Kagome! I have a bunch of miny stories in here too. It makes me so happy! See ya'll next chapter!_


	13. Reunion

_Hey ya'll! I updateda week early! It was because of the break. Yeah yeah...Don't expect this forever. I do what I can, yeah? BTW, I loved your reviews. Thanks a bunch._

**STORY NOTE: This chapter is sort of a re-cap/ sum of everything that's happened for anyone who hasn't followed to well. But don't worry! It'll have loads of new stuff too!**

**

* * *

**

Disclaimer: I do not own Inuyasha only some of the random things that I make up.

Warnings: OOC (some characters) , mild language

Key:_ thought , _"speech" **flashback **_"in head speech"_

**

* * *

**

**ReCaPrEcApReCaPrEcApReCaPrEcApReCaPrEcApReCaPrEcApReCaP**

**LAST TIME... **

"Truth is," mumbled the young girl softly. "I need everyone's help." Tears fell down her cheeks as she prepared to tell them her story. However, they were quickly dried by a concerned Inuyasha.

"If you don't feel up to telling them, you can wait until morning," he said, his voice tender and loving. He was trying his best to understand the pain she was feeling, even though he didn't know the half of her story, only a fragment.

"It's just that, it's still hard to believe. And I have to keep talking about it, reminding myself of it. This isn't something that's going to go away. I need to be strong," she told him. Though Kouga hated what was going on, he decided to stand to the side and let his rival comfort the girl. She only needed one man to try her tears. Of course, this didn't mean he was giving up on her.

"It's okay," the half demon soothed, pulling her into his arms. "We're with you. We can support you."

Kagome rested her head against his shoulder and looked towards the trees. What she saw; however, was Bankotsu's face staring back at her. A pained expression on his face and an anger in his eyes.

**ReCaPrEcApReCaPrEcApReCaPrEcApReCaPrEcApReCaPrEcApReCaP**

**

* * *

**

Catch you Catch Kagome

**CHAPTER THIRTEEN: Reunion**

"Bankotsu?" she whispered, loud enough that everyone could hear her words. She slowly pulled away from the half demon and walked towards the trees, all eyes were focused on her. "You've been looking for me," she whispered with a smile, now standing a few feet from the Shichinintai leader. "I missed you so much."

Bankotsu wanted to yell at her. He wanted to call her a wretch for being in the arms of Inuyasha. He wanted to hate her with all his heart. But when he saw her smile, and the tears in her eyes, all of his wants faded away; replacing them with the realization that she really cared about him. He'd been feeling insecure for so long. "Of course," he managed to whisper back, his eyes now filled with remorse, relief, and love. "I'm glad you're safe." He stepped forward and pulled Kagome into a tight and loving embrace, leaving the rest of her company more than confused.

"Get your hands off her!" Inuyasha growled possessively. "I didn't hear Kagome say you could touch her like that!"

Bankotsu glared at Inuyasha and pulled Kagome behind him. "I thank you for rescuing her, but I'll be taking her back with me."

Kagome put her hand of Bankotsu's shoulder and shook her head. "I need everyone's help. I need to tell everyone what's happening." Bankotsu sighed and nodded his head in defeat. He was anxious to get her away from everyone, and take her somewhere they could talk in private. "When will the others get here?"

"You called?" Jakotsu asked, running out from behind the trees with the rest of the Shichinintai behind him. "I was so worried about you!" he screamed, pulling Kagome into his arms and squeezing the life out of her. "Hey? Where's the clothes we got you?"

Kagome looked down at her outfit to find herself wearing her usual school uniform. "Souta must have changed my clothes without me realizing it," she mumbled to herself.

"Souta? A boy? Kagome, what were you doing with a boy other than Big Brother?"

"He is my brother."

"Oh."

"Kagome," Sango spoke up, startling everyone. "Would you like to explain what's going on?"

"Right," the raven haired girl laughed nervously. "Everyone gather 'round the fire."

"What fire?" Suikotsu asked.

"The fire Miroku is going to make of course."

"That reminds me Kagome," Renkotsu spoke up softly. "We have your backpack." He stepped forward slowly and held out her large yellow bag with ease.

"Thanks Renkotsu!" she giggled, taking the bag from him and nearly falling over, only to be caught by Kouga. "Guess I forgot how heavy it was."

"You should be more careful," Kouga told her in a loving voice, making Inuyasha, Bankotsu, and Suikotsu twitch.

"Thanks Kouga, I'll try," she replied, balancing herself.

"I'll make the fire," Miroku mumbled lazily as he wandered off in search for wood with Kirara.

"I'll go with you!" Sango announced, chasing after the distressed monk.

"Kagome?" Shippo asked, pulling on her skirt. "Are you going to tell us what's going on?"

"Of course," Kagome replied, banding down to his level. Then something bit her neck. "Myoga!"

"Hello dear Kagome! Tasty as ever!" the flea replied cheerfully.

---------------

Once the group was settled around the fire, the Shichinintai on one side and the Inuyasha group on the other, did Kagome decide to explain her story. She took a deep breath as she sat down between the two groups, trying to keep a war from breaking out, hopeful the boys would be quiet enough to let her explain everything before trying to kill each other. "I'll begin from the start," Kagome breathed, acquiring everyone's attention. "The Shichinintai...They kidnapped me with hopes of using me to find their missing jewel shards and more."

"Let me explain the missing jewel shards!" Myoga interrupted. "All the jewel shards that weren't in an already living creature were all summoned away to Lord Souta! In otherwords, he's got an almost complete shikon jewel at his disposal."

"Anyways," Kagome continued. "The Shichinintai and I became friends, and now...we'll you know. My brother, Souta, has joined forces with Kohaku, and the two are trying to make their own kingdoms...or something like that."

"Kohaku?" Sango exclaimed, standing up in horror. "My-my brother?"

Kagome slowly shook her head. "I'm sorry Sango."

"Let me explain," Myoga announced again, bouncing around worriedly. "Kohaku has been possessed by a demon spirit. Whoever this spirit is...it has a huge hate towards Inuyasha and his brother."

"Sesshomaru?" Inuyasha asked in confusion. "Ryuukotsusei is the only demon I can think of at the moment."

"Exactly. Ryuukotsusei has possessed Kohaku, and then went after Kagome's younger brother. Because Souta is the brother of a priestess, he too has his own powers. Normally, Souta wouldn't be able to harness his power, the power to revive, but because Ryuukotsusei gave some of his powers to Lord Souta in order to age him...Souta is able to use his own abilities."

"So my brother...is trying to create a kingdom with your brother?" Sango asked, hardly able to believe her own words.

"It seems that way," Miroku mumbled. "But at least we know Kagome and Sango are safe."

"Not true," Kagome replied. "Souta may protect me...But Kohaku said something about special plans for his sister..."

"Kagome! We have to help our brothers!" Sango exclaimed, near tears.

"I know...That's why I need everyone here to make a temporary peace."

"If it'll make you happy. I promise peace for a while," Kouga announced loudly and quickly.

"I guess we have no choice. We can settle everything else later," Inuyasha growled, annoyed that he was actually going through with it.

"Fine," Bankotsu mumbled, leaning back. "As soon as we're done though...It's back to normal."

"Thanks everyone," Kagome whispered smiling. Then she remembered something important. "That reminds me!" she grabbed her backpack and began digging through it. "Her Jakotsu," she giggled, pulling out the small gift basket, filled with make-up and soaps. "This is a present for you."

"Kagome!" Jakotsu exclaimed, grabbing the basket from her and staring at it with joy. "It's so awesome! Futuristic cosmetics!"

Kagome pulled out the pocket knife and tossed it at Suikotsu. "Here ya go! Every man should have one of these.

"Thanks Kagome," Suikotsu replied, blushing as he fingered the present.

"And for you Bankotsu! Some silver polish! For Banryuu!" she tossed the bottle of polish at the Shichinintai leader and grinned as his eyes lit up.

"Hell yeah!" he laughed, clutching the bottle possessively. "Thanks Kagome!" Then his expression became serious. "If this meeting is over...I need to talk to you."

----------------

Bankotsu and Kagome were standing alone far from the camp, in front of a small crystal lake. The two were silent. So much had happened and they hadn't been together for awhile. "I'm sorry," Bankotsu mumbled, keeping his face hidden from the younger girls eyes. "For being a jerk. I failed to protect you, and worse...I failed to save you."

"It's okay," she whispered, hugging him from behind, trying to show him that everything was all right.

"But it's not okay," he mumbled sadly. "If Inuyasha really didn't betray you then..."

"Are you worried?" Kagome asked suddenly, turning him around and gazing into his eyes. "Are you worried that I'm going to leave you for him?" Bankotsu slowly nodded and Kagome turned away. "I don't know what I'm going to do. I'll tell you the truth...I like you both..."

"But," Bankotsu whispered, pulling her into his arms and kissing her neck lovingly, "Your heart doesn't belong to either of us. I still have a chance."

A smile crept to Kagome's face as his kisses tickled her neck, making her flinch away with a giggle.

"I hope I'm not interrupting anything," a deep voice mumbled. Both Kagome and Bankotsu looked up to find Inuyasha standing before them. "I'd like some time with Kagome."

Bankotsu shot Inuyasha a dangerous look, but patted Kagome on the back and walked towards the camp, glaring at the half demon the whole way. "Inuyasha," Kagome mumbled, taking a deep breath after Bankotsu had disappeared.

"Yeah," the half demon mumbled in a daze, walking towards her. "I didn't realize you'd fallen for him."

"I'm sorry Inuyasha," she mumbled, staring down at the ground.

"If we'd been closer...If I'd said something sooner. I wouldn't be competing with him now."

"I'm so confused..."

"It's okay," he whispered, gently wiping away her tears. "Take as long as you need to decide. No matter what you decide. I'll understand."

When Inuyasha left, Kagome sat down on the dirt and sighed. "What the heck am I supposed to do?" she asked herself. "I love them both..."

--------------

Suikotsu held the pocket knife in his hand and looked towards the hill where Inuyasha was emerging from. He glanced over at the uneasy Bankotsu, sitting beside Jakotsu and Kyoukotsu. "Is Kagome okay?" Suikotsu asked the half demon as he passed by.

"I don't know," Inuyasha answered truthfully.

"I'll go take care of her!" Jakotsu offered, standing up quickly.

"You'd probably better leave her alone," Sango mumbled underneath her breath. "She prolly needs someone more laid back."

"Then...How about I take care of you Inuyasha. Now that we're on the same team?" Jakotsu asked hopefully.

"How about not!" Inuyasha barked as he climbed a tree nearby them.

"Miroku?" Jakotsu yelled, sounding desperate.

"Sango, would you care to accompany to a bath?" Miroku asked loudly, trying to prove he was straight. All he got was a smack.

"Oh fine," Jakotsu mumbled, crossing his arms angrily.

"I'll take care of it...If that's okay with you Big Brother." Suikotsu looked over at his leader and received a half nod. He turned towards the hill and headed towards Kagome. After a bit of walking he found the said girl curled up beside a rock.

"It's not safe to be out here alone," he said as he sat beside her.

"I don't know what to do," she mumbled, looking up at him with teary eyes.

Suikotsu took a deep breath. He wanted to pull her into his arms right there and then, to kiss away all of her sadness. But he knew, deep down, that it'd never work. No matter what he did, he would always be forced to watch from the side. He'd be forced to watch her cry and would never be able to do anything to change it. "Do what ever your heart tells you," he said, hating himself for telling her this. The only way he could help her, was to give her up. "Eventually, you'll figure out who you love. Until then you just have to be patient." _Why do I like her so much?_ His body stiffened when he felt Kagome climb into his lap and place her head on his chest.

"Thanks Suikotsu...You're like the big brother I never had."

He looked down at her, a sad smile on his face. _Is it because I can be myself and she still accepts me? Is it because she reminds me of Kikiyo? Because she's so strong, despite everything that's happening? _He wrapped his arms around her protectively. So what if he couldn't have her. He could do everything in his power to make sure she was happy as long as she was in his arms. "Holding you hurts..." he whispered to himself, so quiet that Kagome was unable to hear his words.

---------------

Mukotsu and Renkotsu had escaped from the group and were discussing the new information they'd received.

"Are you sure you want to do this?" Mukotsu asked, somewhat unsure.

"Yes," Renkotsu replied, grinning evilly. "I think Lord Souta will treat us quite well. I have a feeling we'll be meeting with him very soon."

"Sounds promising."

"I already have a plan to capture Suikotsu. We make our move when Lord Souta comes to us. I have a feeling he already knows I've decided to take him up on the offer. Power awaits us my friend."

"I can't wait!" Mukotsu laughed, happily and evilly.

----------------

Kagome and Suikotsu emerged from the darkness with smiles on their faces. Obviously, Suikotsu had cheered the modern priest up. "Hey Sango!" Kagome laughed, running over to her friend. "Everything's going to be okay!"

Suddenly the fire went out and the camp was surrounded in darkness. "Sango," a familiar voice growled. "Are you the sister of that dreaded Kohaku?"

"Sesshomaru!" Inuyasha hissed, jumping down from the tree and guarding the two girls. "Go away!"

"I'm sorry little brother," Sesshomaru laughed, slightly amused, appearing on the back of a winged creature in the sky.

"How come we didn't notice that sooner?" Bankotsu asked sarcastically.

"Because," Inuyasha answered, after sniffing the air. "That's not my brother. It's one of Naraku's puppets!"

"Very good perception Inuyasha," the Sesshomaru fake laughed, landing on the ground in front of the party. "However, this time I'm here for Sango. Kohaku wishes to speak with her." The puppet sent it's vines towards the two girls, but was cut in half before it had a chance to reach them. However, Inuyasha wasn't the one to stop it.

"I knew I'd find you sooner or later," the real Sesshomaru said in his usual dull tone as he put his sword away. "Naraku, next time you wish to steal my appearance...Be less obvious."

"Sesshomaru! What the hell are you doing here?" Inuyasha hissed, this time knowing it was his brother standing before him.

Sesshomaru looked up at his angry brother, but his eyes fell on Sango. "I came to kill Kohaku. However, Naraku tried to fight me and stole my appearance. That woman. Is she the sister of Kohaku?"

"What do you want with me?" Sango asked bravely, stepping out from behind Inuyasha's protection.

"It seems your brother is looking for you. So...you'll be needing you to come with me."

CHAPTER END

**

* * *

**

**NEXT CHAPTER: Scheme in Turmoil**

If things aren't bad enough when Sesshomaru shows up, Kohaku's appearance won't make things any better! Amidst all the chaos, people are plotting and lives are reaching their climax!

**

* * *

**_So there we have it. Another chapter and a little closer to the ending...Which...isn't for awhile...We haven't even gotten close to the climax! Don't all you feel special? I have a feeling this fic is gonna exceed 20 chapters... Anyways, give me reviews and I'll continue having a reason to write for you! Hasta Luego!_


	14. Scheme in Turmoil

**Sorry it took like FOREVER...But here it is...Love more...or hate me. Whatever you decide.**

**STORY NOTE: **Hi...People..nothing here.

**

* * *

**

Disclaimer: I do not own Inuyasha only some of the random things that I make up.

Warnings: OOC (some characters) , mild language

Key:_ thought , _"speech" **flashback **_"in head speech"_

**

* * *

**

**ReCaPrEcApReCaPrEcApReCaPrEcApReCaPrEcApReCaPrEcApReCaP**

**LAST TIME... **

"I knew I'd find you sooner or later," the real Sesshomaru said in his usual dull tone as he put his sword away. "Naraku, next time you wish to steal my appearance...Be less obvious."

"Sesshomaru! What the hell are you doing here?" Inuyasha hissed, this time knowing it was his brother standing before him.

Sesshomaru looked up at his angry brother, but his eyes fell on Sango. "I came to kill Kohaku. However, Naraku tried to fight me and stole my appearance. That woman. Is she the sister of Kohaku?"

"What do you want with me?" Sango asked bravely, stepping out from behind Inuyasha's protection.

"It seems your brother is looking for you. So...you'll be needing you to come with me."

**ReCaPrEcApReCaPrEcApReCaPrEcApReCaPrEcApReCaPrEcApReCaP**

**

* * *

**

Catch you Catch Kagome

**CHAPTER FOURTEEN: Scheme in Turmoil**

"You need me?" Sango asked, trying to confirm what she'd heard. "What for?"

Sesshomaru sighed, he seemed to be in a hurry. "I don't have time for any childish games Inuyasha. Hand the woman over and I'll return her unharmed. However, if I'm forced to take her..." the demon threatened, though his voice was still calm.

"I don't care what you say. Leave my friends out of your plans!" Inuyasha growled protectively. Sesshomaru began laughing, a cold and chilling laugh. "What's so funny?"

"I figured you'd be a nuisance. Jaken, do it now."

"Yes my lord!" the green imp yelled as he jumped out from behind his master and pointed his staff at the group. "Burn for your impudence!" Fire engulfed the party as Jaken stood laughing in victory.

Everyone took cover as Inuyasha leapt in front of the flames and knocked the staff from the imps hands. "I'm gonna make you pay for that," Inuyasha said with a sneer, cracking his knuckles.

"Help!" Sango cried as Sesshomaru grabbed her around the waist and lifted her into his arms. During the chaos caused by Jaken, he'd taken the chance to grab the demon slayer. He really was in a hurry.

"Come Jaken," the demon ordered as he jumped up onto the mystical beast the Naraku puppet had flown in on, and flew away.

"Wait for me, my lord!" Jaken cried in fear as he grabbed his staff and chased after Sesshomaru.

"Come on everyone, we have to save Sango!" Miroku yelled, beginning to chase after the two demons.

"Hold on a second," a familiar voice laughed, causing Kagome and Bankotsu to jump. "You're not going anywhere. Let Kohaku take care of your friend and focus on me."

"Hiten? I killed you!" Bankotsu spat in anger. "How the hell are you standing?"

"Lord Souta revived me of course," Hiten said with distaste. "Since we're on the subject, he's not to happy about Kagome being stolen away. Return her now and your deaths will be painless."

"The one doing the stealing is you guys!" Jakotsu yelled, becoming worked up. "Tell your Souta that if he wants his sister back, he'll have to take her himself!"

"BROTHER BANKOTSU, WHERE IS RENKOTSU AND MUKOTSU?" Kyoukotsu asked curiously,realizing that some of their group was missing.

"Ahhh...So it's finally starting," the thunder brother laughed, gripping his spear tightly.

"What did you do to my men?" the Shichinintai leader asked sternly.

"Nothing, they'll be fine."

"Enough talk!" Inuyasha growled. "Just shut up and die!" He attempted to claw Hiten but missed and ended up striking and knocking down the tree he'd been sitting before.

"I wish I could die!" Hiten replied, dodging all of Inuyasha's attacks. "But because of Souta I can't! No matter how many times I'm killed, he'll continue to revive me! He'll never let me rest!"

"I'll help you Inuyasha!" Shippo yelled, tossing a bunch of stones at Hiten, causing him to slip, letting the half demon strike him in the shoulder.

"If you keep Kagome from him for to long, he'll just kill her!" Hiten warned, though his shoulder was bleeding and he was in great pain. "If he kills her, then only he can revive her completely. Do you want her to go through that?"

"Stop it!" Kagome shouted, stopping the battle. "If I go with you...Will I be able to talk to Souta?"

"What are you saying Kagome?" Inuyasha asked in horror.

"You can't talk to your brother, he's mad!" Miroku added.

"Kagome!" Kouga cried. "Don't be foolish!"

"I have to try. He is my little brother after all," she mumbled sadly.

"Little brother?" Hiten asked in amusement. "Well...he looks older than you. What do I care, of course you'll get to talk with him. Alone if it'd please you."

"Very well. I'll go." Kagome slowly approached Hiten, but stopped a few feet away and looked back at her friends. "Don't worry everyone. Save Sango for me will you?" Hiten grabbed her violently and held onto her hair.

"You can't change your mind," he told her gruffly as a thunder cloud appeared beneath their feet.

"I know," she whispered in reply.

-------------------

"What are you planning to do to me?" Sango asked, her voice threatening and cold. Unfortunately, it didn't bother Sesshomaru.

"If all goes well, nothing," he replied as he tied her to a tree. "Kohaku will come to get you...Then I'll kill him."

"What'd he do to you?"

"That is none of your concern."

"As my sister, I believe it is," Kohaku's suddenly said in an amused voice. "You're messing with my plans." Sesshomaru looked up to find the young Kohaku sitting in the same tree his sister was tied. "Hello Sesshomaru. To finally get to meet the older son...It's an honor. However, today is not the day I destroy you. I have deadlines to be met."

"If you want your sister back, you'll fight me."

Kohaku ignored Sesshomaru and looked down at his sister. "Sango," he said with a sneer. "My dear sister. You're looking lovely as always." Kohaku's sneer became a cold smile when he noticed the fear on his sisters face. "Has Kagome been talking to you? It's a shame I can't destroy her. But Souta would hate me for sure. You however, have no such protection."

"What do you want with me?" Sango asked.

"Simple. You're going to help me acquire a body of my own."

"Enough talking, Kohaku," Sesshomaru interrupted, becoming irritated. "If you want to finish your conversation...you'll defeat me."

"Fair enough," the young demon slayer laughed, jumping out of the tree and landing in front of his sister. "I won't go easy."

--------------

The Shichinintai and Inuyasha's group were all running towards their goals. The Shichinintai were going after Kagome, while Inuyasha was going to save Sango. That way, they wouldn't have to worry about one of the girls getting left behind.

**Inuyasha**

"Hurry up you three! Sango doesn't have forever!" Inuyasha yelled to the three in the back. Miroku and Shippo were riding on Kirara, who was trying her best to keep up with Inuyasha. "The sooner we get Sango, the sooner we can join the Shichinintai and make sure Bankotsu doesn't do anything stupid!"

"You're slow you stupid mutt!" Kouga laughed as he dashed past Inuyasha. "Why'd I have to come with you?"

"Because if you went with Bankotsu, Jakotsu might molest you. He almost got me once!" Miroku announced.

"Hurry! We have to save Sango! I'm so worried about her!" Shippo cried, grabbing onto Miroku's clothes and jumping around.

"Aren't you worried about Kagome?" Miroku asked, somewhat surprised.

"Why should I? Bankotsu will take care of her."

"Will he?"

"Yeah, he really likes her. I have a nose for that kinda stuff."

"So tell me...Does Sango like me?"

"I can't tell you that!"

"Then does Kagome like me?"

"WHERE ARE YOU GETTING AT MIROKU?" both Kouga and Inuyasha yelled at the same time. "It's bad enough we're competing with each other and Bankotsu, but you stay outta this!"

"Yes, of course..." the monk replied, rubbing his temple.

**Shichinintai**

Bankotsu and Jakotsu were riding on the back of Ginkotsu, while Suikotsu was sitting on Kyoukotsu's shoulder.

"I sure hope Ren and Mukotsu are okay," Bankotsu mumbled to himself.

"Gesh..." Ginkotsu agreed, equally worried about his buddy Renkotsu.

"Why are you worried about those two?" Jakotsu asked with a snotty tone. "Those two are up to no good. Mukotsu's always trying to latch himself onto Kagome. That pervert!"

"WHAT DOES THAT MAKE YOU THEN?" Kyoukotsu asked, not meaning for it to be an insult.

"How dare you, Kyoukotsu!" the pretty man cried, seeming to be offended by the harmless comment.

"I do agree with Jakotsu though," Suikotsu spoke up. "They don't seem to be very trusting."

"It's my job as leader to worry about everyone though. If they aren't trusting, you have to think...Maybe someone possessed them?"

"Or maybe someone is giving them power," Jakotsu mumbled.

"What was that?" the Shichinintai leader asked.

"Have you noticed the extra jewel shard Renkotsu has?"

Bankotsu became quiet. He'd known about the shard for awhile, he just didn't want to jump to conclusions. "Why don't we worry about that later? I'll ask him about it..."

------------------

Mukotsu and Renkotsu had returned to the camp once everyone else had left, and were both waiting around the fire for Souta to arrive.

"Do you think he'll come?" Mukotsu asked, sounding unsure.

"Of course," Renkotsu replied, rubbing his neck where the jewel shard he'd gotten from Souta was. "He'll be here soon."

"Do we really want to do this?"

"Listen, if you're so worried about betraying Big Brother, then leave and find him. However, if you want all the power and even more...stay here with me."

"He's right," a voice said, echoing through the night. Suddenly the fire went out and was replaced with a blue flame. "I can give you almost anything you'd like." Souta appeared before them, dressed in his usual armor. "Infinite life, money, power, women."

"Hello Lord Souta," Renkotsu said, bowing slightly. "I have decided to join you."

"I know...what about your friend?" the man asked, looking towards Mukotsu.

"I do too!" the poison master agreed, somewhat loudly.

"Wonderful," Souta laughed as he pulled a jewel shard out of his armor and handed it to Mukotsu. "My gift to you." Mukotsu immediately grabbed the shard and placed it in his bottle of poison, making the bottle pulse for a moment. "Ah, very smart. Make the bottle strong, make the poison it holds stronger."

"Lord Souta, we have a plan to bring another one of the Shichinintai to your side. It would be by means of blackmail," the flame master said calmly.

"I see...What if it fails?" inquired Souta.

"It won't. I'm sure he'll join us."

"Very well. Soon you'll be able to come with me to my castle. First, I need you to stay with Bankotsu a while longer. I have a job for you to do. It will allow me to take Kagome successfully and leave Bankotsu in the dust. When I give the signal you'll initiate the plan."

"What is the plan?" Mukotsu asked curiously.

"This," Souta replied, smiling. He placed his hand on both of the ex-Shichinintai members foreheads and seemed to pass the information to them.

"I see," Renkotsu replied, grinning evilly.

"It's brilliant!" Mukotsu added.

--------------

Kohaku watched in amusement as Sesshomaru unsheathed his Tokijin, practically declaring war against the young demon slayer. However, something made the dog demon put his sword away and turn to leave.

"What was that?" Kohaku asked, his voice showing that he was enjoying every moment. "Have you given up?"

"I know that you know they're coming. Inuyasha is stronger than you and he will defeat you in the end. There is no point in me fighting a battle I need not fight. Enjoy your life while you have it."

"I will come for you."

Sesshomaru stopped and turned his head slightly towards Kohaku. "I suppose...We will fight then." Once Sesshomaru disappeared, Kohaku turned to Sango and let out a deep sigh.

"He practically begs for a fight...then changes his mind when I give it to him. How weird. I suppose that's how some demons are." He bent down to his knees and smiled at Sango. "I guess I'll have to reschedule our party."

"You bastard," Sango mumbled under her breath. "Let my brother go!"

"Sango Sango!" Kohaku laughed, leaning back a bit. "You're so silly."

"How'd you get in him?"

"That...my dear, is for me to know. And you...to not." Sango grunted at his answer. "Tell me Sango," the young demon slayer mumbled softly, resting his forehead against his sisters suddenly. "What is this strange feeling in my chest? The liquid forming in my eyes? Are these human emotions?"

"Kohaku?" whispered Sango sadly. "Is he..?"

"It seems," he began, standing up. "That your poor brother can see everything. I feel sorry for him. But don't worry. He won't have to suffer for much longer."

"Sango!" Inuyasha yelled from the distance. He was closer now, and Kohaku knew it.

"Good bye," Sango's brother said, before running into the night.

"Sango! Are you all right?" Miroku asked worriedly as Kirara flew in with Inuyasha and Kouga not to far behind. The monk jumped down from the flying demon and cut his friend free. As soon as she was standing, he pulled her into an embrace, soon joined by Shippo and a smaller version of Kirara.

"I'm fine," Sango laughed, hugging the two back. "I'm sure Inuyasha and Kouga are both worried about Kagome. Let's go help her!"

------------------

"I was scared," Kagome mumbled to Hiten. The two were still flying on his cloud, but he'd let go of her hair and she was now sitting beside him. "I was scared when I saw my brother. He's not...Souta anymore."

"You mean he was once good?" Hiten asked sarcastically.

"Once upon a time," she answered. "How's your brother?"

"Dead," the thunder demon answered, his voice filled with malice. "After Bankotsu killed us, Souta revived me and told me that if I wanted my brother back...well, you know."

"I'm sorry."

"At least he isn't suffering like me."

Kagome took Hiten's hand, completely catching him off guard, and looked up at him with teary eyes. "I'm sorry for all the pain my brother has caused you. If I could, I'd fix everything. I take full responsibility of his actions."

"Why?" Hiten asked, dumbfounded.

"I'm his older sister. It's my job. You should know that."

"I guess so." Hiten shook his head and then began laughing. "This is pathetic. Here I am having a conversation with the enemy's sister."

"That's not pathetic," the modern priestess said to him, frowning. "It means that...you are a good person...err..demon. To hate only one and not hold the family responsible."

"Don't give me so much credit."

"But you deserve it."

"I'm not letting you go."

"I didn't ask you too."

"Just-" Hiten took her hand and glared at her. Her calm and gentle eyes pierced his soul and made him feel regret for what he was doing to her. He released her hand and turned away. "How can you talk to me like you care. I've tried to kill you more than once."

"Because," she answered, looking up at the moon. "Everyone deserves a second chance. Look at Bankotsu. I gave him a second chance...and now..."

Hiten looked at her with hazy eyes and slightly smiled. _Does that mean...someone like you could love me? Even as a friend..._ "We're here," the thunder brother announced when he saw them hovering over the campsite. Souta was the only one waiting. Both Renkotsu and Mukotsu had left to return back to their cave, letting Souta be alone with his sister and keeping their identity secret from her in case his plans failed.

Kagome looked down at her brother as the cloud began to sink to the ground. Souta was sitting on a log, watching her with a bemused smile. "Good to see you again sister!" he laughed, though it was hardly a real laugh.

"Souta," Kagome replied as Hiten set her on the ground. "What you're trying to do is wrong!"

"Those aren't very nice words," the young man replied, still smiling. "You should be thanking me. I plan to make all your troubles go away."

"I don't want my troubles to go away. I want to make them go away on my own!" she argued. "You can't control the world!"

"Can I?"

Hiten stood back and listened to their conversation with interest. He had no idea what they were talking about. What was Souta planning to do?

"Souta, please leave my friends alone. Why don't we just go home together. If you really want it...I'll never come back here again."

Souta stood up and walked towards Kagome. "My sister," he said softly, wrapping his arms around her and pulling her head to his chest. "If we go home...you'll hurt. If you stay as you are...you'll hurt. I don't want you to hurt. I'll make a Kingdom here, where you'll be happy. I'll erase all of your memories so you can start new memories. Memories of us together...memories of our Kingdom. If you wish for love, I'll find you someone. I'll give you anything to make you smile." He brushed his hand through her hair and looked down at her worried face. "All I need now is you. Once your friends are out of the way...Nobody will stop me. Nobody can stop me."

"No!" Kagome yelled, pulling away as if her brother were a disease. This action, of course, hurt him. "As your older sister, I demand you to stop this childish game at once!"

"I'm older than you now. I'm not a child," his voice was now stern.

"You're being a jerk!"

"Kagome-"

"I hate you! You're not Souta! My Souta wouldn't be doing this!"

"Shut up!" the young man yelled, smacking Kagome across the face. "You will not talk to me that way!" He pushed her to the ground, causing her to yelp in pain. "Is it Bankotsu? Inuyasha? Are they making you turn against me?" He stepped on her hair and ignored her cries. "Do I have to beat them out of you?"

"Souta! Stop it, you're hurting me!"

"Dammit Kagome! Don't get me wrong. I love you, but I will not tolerate your disrespect!"

Hiten was horrified by the sight and had no idea what he should do. _Souta's losing his temper again. _He closed his eyes and remembered what his master had done to him last time he gotten angry. A part of Hiten, a large part, was starting to fear for Kagome's safety. Souta was becoming unstable.

CHAPTER END

**

* * *

**

**NEXT CHAPTER: A Light in the Darkness**

Souta's beginning to lose control and what will happen to Kagome when she decides to give Souta a piece of her mind? Literally? Will Kagome ever be able to look at her brother again?

**

* * *

**


	15. A Light in the Darkness

Hey! The last chapter was kinda rushed...Putting it up anyways... As for this chapter..It's quite short. Over 1500 words. That's short compared to the usual length...Oh well, you'll all love it anyways.

**STORY NOTE: Yeah, this chapter is a bit depressing. So, if you cry, don't blame me! And...don't hate me either!**

**

* * *

**

Disclaimer: I do not own Inuyasha only some of the random things that I make up.

Warnings: OOC (some characters) , mild language, and...some other stuff.

Key:_ thought , _"speech" **flashback **_"in head speech"_

**

* * *

**

**ReCaPrEcApReCaPrEcApReCaPrEcApReCaPrEcApReCaPrEcApReCaP**

**LAST TIME... **

"No!" Kagome yelled, pulling away as if her brother were a disease. This action, of course, hurt him. "As your older sister, I demand you to stop this childish game at once!"

"I'm older than you now. I'm not a child," his voice was now stern.

"You're being a jerk!"

"Kagome-"

"I hate you! You're not Souta! My Souta wouldn't be doing this!"

"Shut up!" the young man yelled, smacking Kagome across the face. "You will not talk to me that way!" He pushed her to the ground, causing her to yelp in pain. "Is it Bankotsu? Inuyasha? Are they making you turn against me?" He stepped on her hair and ignored her cries. "Do I have to beat them out of you?"

"Souta! Stop it, you're hurting me!"

"Dammit Kagome! Don't get me wrong. I love you, but I will not tolerate your disrespect!"

Hiten was horrified by the sight and had no idea what he should do. _Souta's losing his temper again. _He closed his eyes and remembered what his master had done to him last time he gotten angry. A part of Hiten, a large part, was starting to fear for Kagome's safety. Souta was becoming unstable.

**ReCaPrEcApReCaPrEcApReCaPrEcApReCaPrEcApReCaPrEcApReCaP**

* * *

Catch you Catch Kagome

**CHAPTER FIFTHTEEN: A Light in the Darkness**

"I've been trying and trying, but nothing I do is good enough!" the older boy yelled. "Am I not good enough? Do you really want some traitorous friends?"

"Souta..." Kagome sobbed, scared by her brothers vicious reaction.

"Your tears don't bother me Kagome. They're fake, just like you are."

"How can you say that?"

"Do you know how much you hurt me?"

"What about you! You're no better!"

"It's not all about you!" Souta paused for a moment and ignored his sisters sobs as he thought. "I get it now," he laughed with a devious and twisted smile. "You're sleeping with them aren't you?"

"What?" Kagome asked in surprise, stopping her sobs. "What are you talking about?"

Souta continued to ignored her and only crossed his arms, still in thought. "Since I tweaked little Bankotsu, you haven't been able to get enough of him. Inuyasha...that monk...Hell, all of the Shichinintai. So tell me," he was now looking into her frightened eyes. "How many times have you been with them? Every night? They're using you."

"You don't know anything!" the young girl shouted angrily, waving her arms. "I haven't slept with anyone, not that it's any of your business!"

"Whatever," was the reply. Souta seemed to be little effected by her protest. "Either way, they're no good. They have you caught in their web, the Shichinintai."

"What do you mean...you tweaked Bankotsu?"

"Wouldn't you like to know."

"Dammit Souta!" she yelled, deciding to take a chance. "I'm tired of all this crap you're pulling! Shut up now and go back home!"

Her words stung slightly, but they only succeeded in enraging him further. "You ungrateful whore! I'm going to beat all of those men out of your mind!" Souta took a step forward and lifted his fist to strike his sister again; however, his attempts were foiled when a bolt of thunder struck his hand. He turned his mad eyes towards Hiten and cursed the demon beneath his breath.

"Stay away from her," Hiten warned, stepping in front of the modern priestess and shielding her with his body. "You're not yourself right now."

"What do you know?" the young man screamed, tears of anger forming at his eyes. "She's my sister! I'll do whatever the hell I want to her!"

"You'll keep your distance!" the demon replied. _Why the heck am I doing this? Why am I protecting **her**?_

"Then I'll kill you too."

Kagome just then realized how serious her situation was. Souta wasn't just going to beat the memories of her friends out of her...He was going to beat her to death. She'd end up forgetting all of the people she cared for, just in hoping it would make the pain stop. "Oh no," she panicked, grabbing onto Hiten's shoulder. "Please...Make him stop!"

"Kagome, get away from him!" Souta ordered.

Kagome's grip on Hiten's shoulder tightened as her brother yelled and she hid her face beneath her bangs. Only silent tears fell, causing both men to stop and look at her. "No," she whispered. "I won't let you control me."

"It's not your choice," Souta snarled back.

"Kagome, if you stay behind me...I promise I'll protect you with my life," Hiten said suddenly, startling the modern priestess.

"What?" she asked, as if she'd heard different. "Okay."

"You're really turning against me?" Souta asked, sounding insane. "Fine!" A huge ball of fire formed in the mad teen's hand as launched it at the two before him.

Hiten directed a bolt of lightening at his master, and the two attacks collided, pushing the three back a few feet. The area was suddenly shrouded by dust and before Hiten had a chance to respond, he felt something sharp stab through his shoulder. "Gahh!" the thunder demon cried out in the pain. Kagome fell back on the ground and watched as the dust faded, revealing Souta holding Hiten up in the air with his hand piercing his flesh. Swiftly he pulled his hand from the demon's flesh and flung the body to the ground.

"Sister," he chuckled evilly, approaching the frightened girl. The raven haired girl stared at Souta's bloody hand in horror and found she was unable to run away. Kagome's gaze was suddenly switched to the event occurring behind her crazed brother. Hiten had his spear in his hands and was about to throw it at the defenseless Souta.

"Watch out Souta!" Kagome cried and without thinking, jumped up and pushed her brother out of the way. As luck would have it, Hiten had already thrown the spear and it hit the modern priestess in the back. The two men watched in awe as the young girl feel to the ground lifelessly.

"Kagome?" Souta asked, his voice trembling and weak. "Why did you-I don't understand..."

"You stupid girl!" Hiten snarled angrily. "I almost had him!"

"Y-you can't kill him," Kagome mumbled softly, as her body began to move slowly, attempting to sit up.

"WHAT THE HELL IS GOING ON?" Souta screamed, grabbing his head in anguish. "I DON'T UNDERSTAND!" Just as he was about to charge at his wounded sister, Kohaku appeared behind him and struck him on the back of the neck. "Nuhh..." the teen groaned as he fell back into the younger boy's arms.

"It looks like I got here at the right time," Kohaku laughed with a smile. "Souta'll be beating himself up for awhile..." Then the young demon slayer turned his gaze toward Kagome. "I apologize for his actions. Please don't die on us."

"What are you doing Kohaku?" Hiten asked in confusion.

Kohaku turned to the thunder demon and frowned. "Don't get the wrong idea. I'm not helping you. I was looking for Souta and I found him freaking out. You and I both know what will happen if he completely loses it, don't we?"

Hiten was silent as he pondered an answer.

"Don't bother responding. I assume I'll meet Kagome again. Good Bye."

-------------------

Hiten ran over to Kagome and pulled his spear from her back. "Are you okay?" he asked worriedly, as he held her up in his arms.

"I think I'll live," she answered, trying to be strong. She didn't need to have a break down too, it would be selfish. At least...that's how she saw it.

"I'm relieved," the demon replied, holding her tighter.

"Why'd you protect me?"

Hiten became quiet and then looked up at the sky. "Souta wants you safe, it's my job to protect you. I wanted to protect you."

"Oh," she replied, silently.

"Or maybe," he said, now smiling as he gazed into her eyes. "It's my way of apologizing for the past."

"What do you mean?

"Protect that life of yours. So many people are hurting, just to save you. Even your brother. If you want to save him...target Kohaku."

Kagome was about to ask something more, but something stopped her. A familiar and welcoming voice. "Kagome!" The raven haired girl turned her head towards the voice and found Bankotsu and Inuyasha running towards her.

"What the hell happened to you?" Inuyasha asked in horror, stopping in front of the two with Bankotsu behind him.

"Hiten, you bastard!" was Bankotsu's comment.

"No-" Kagome was about to correct them, but Hiten quickly covered her mouth.

"You want to kill me?" he asked, innocently. "Go ahead and try." He picked up Kagome carefully and handed her to a confused Inuyasha.

"The hell's your problem?" inquired Inuyasha. _Why'd he bother handing me Kagome, if he was the one that did this?_

"That doesn't matter," the thunder demon replied. "I was just about to kill Kagome. After I defeat you, I'll finish her off."

Bankotsu grinned and gripped his Banryuu's blade. "Oh really?"

"Inuyasha," Kagome whispered frantically, weakening because of the pain. Now that she was safe in the arms of her familiar friend, she was able to loosen up. "He isn't..."

"Don't try and talk!" the half demon told her sternly. "You need to rest. Don't worry, Bankotsu will get him." _Hiten must be up to something. Maybe he's trying to trick us...?_

Kagome looked over at the two men preparing to fight. Bankotsu was standing with his Banryuu at his side, and Hiten was in a fighting stance with his spear. _Hiten...What are you doing? Why do you want to fight...? Do you really want to die that badly?_

"Die Bankotsu!" Hiten spat, charging towards the Shichinintai leader. He threw his lightening rod past the older teen, distracting him, and took the opportunity to strike Bankotsu in the face with his fist. Hiten wasn't counting on the teen grabbing his fist and tossing him into the ground. "Damn," the thunder demon moaned as he climbed to his feet.

"How dare you hurt Kagome!" Bankotsu growled, starting to spin his Banryuu. Hiten smiled softly and stood his ground.

"This is just what I want. A quick death, something that will destroy every piece of my body. Only you can give me that," Hiten whispered to himself as he closed his eyes.

By now, Inuyasha had made the connection that Hiten was innocent, but it was too late. "Bankotsu! Stop it!" he yelled, hoping he had time.

"Banryuusen!"

Hiten smiled as he watched the blast of light come at him. "Hey, Kagome. I hope you save your brother. Whatever you do, don't give up on him. There's still a chance."

"Hiten!" Kagome cried, almost jumping out of Inuyasha's embrace and surprising both her protectors.

"Good-bye friend," the thunder demon said when he felt the attack hit him and watched his body begin to vaporize. _I never really wanted to be a good guy. Nobody every looked past all my evil and tried to save me. I guess I could say...that she's my first and only friend. _

"That idiot!" Inuyasha yelled, referring to the dead demon. "Why'd he throw his life away! He wasn't the one who hurt her!"

"Say what?" Bankotsu asked in confusion. "You mean I just killed a good guy?"

"Yeah."

"Ahhh hell! Why did he-" Bankotsu stopped yelling when he heard a faint sniffling. Kagome sat in Inuyasha's arms, crying her eyes out.

The modern priestess watched Hiten's ashes fall to the ground in awe. She couldn't stop the tears from falling, because she knew somewhere deep inside her heart...That Hiten wasn't the last death she'd see. _Everything happened so fast...I couldn't keep up with time. Before I knew it...Souta was gone, and Hiten was dead._

CHAPTER END

**

* * *

**

**NEXT CHAPTER: A weakness in Suikotsu**

Mukotsu and Renkotsu set their plan to capture Suikotsu in motion.What will be the result? How easily will Suikotsu fall victim to their scheme? And then...when things are tough and Inuyasha and Bankotsu team again up to do some searching, Kagome's left with a sneaky Kouga. What a mess! And why is Miroku acting so strange?

**

* * *

**

See? Wasn't that sad? Awww...But don't ya'll love me still? It was really short. But, in my opionion, there's no cliff hanger! Yay! Unless you guys wanna think there's a cliff hanger. Oh...Merry Christmas Vacation.(for me anyways) And for those uhmmmm...people that are offended by that term...errr..Happy Holidays Vacation?


	16. A weakness in Suikotsu

Another long chapter! Yay! Let's celebrate! Wooooooot! Okay, no more party. Enjoy the story!

**STORY NOTE: **Nothing to note...

**

* * *

**

Disclaimer: I do not own Inuyasha only some of the random things that I make up.

Warnings: OOC (some characters) , mild language, fluff

Key:_ thought , _"speech" **flashback **_"in head speech"_

**

* * *

**

**ReCaPrEcApReCaPrEcApReCaPrEcApReCaPrEcApReCaPrEcApReCaP**

**LAST TIME... **

"Good-bye friend," the thunder demon said when he felt the attack hit him and watched his body begin to vaporize. _I never really wanted to be a good guy. Nobody every looked past all my evil and tried to save me. I guess I could say...that she's my first and only friend. _

"That idiot!" Inuyasha yelled, referring to the dead demon. "Why'd he throw his life away! He wasn't the one who hurt her!"

"Say what?" Bankotsu asked in confusion. "You mean I just killed a good guy?"

"Yeah."

"Ahhh hell! Why did he-" Bankotsu stopped yelling when he heard a faint sniffling. Kagome sat in Inuyasha's arms, crying her eyes out.

The modern priestess watched Hiten's ashes fall to the ground in awe. She couldn't stop the tears from falling, because she knew somewhere deep inside her heart...That Hiten wasn't the last death she'd see. _Everything happened so fast...I couldn't keep up with time. Before I knew it...Souta was gone, and Hiten was dead._

**ReCaPrEcApReCaPrEcApReCaPrEcApReCaPrEcApReCaPrEcApReCaP**

**

* * *

**

Catch you Catch Kagome

**CHAPTER SIXTEEN: A weakness in Suikotsu**

It had been two days since Hiten's death. The group had returned to Kaede's village, and though the Shichinintai were at first unwelcome, upon hearing about the many things they'd done for Kagome, were welcomed by the villagers. Kagome had been resting in the old priestess hut the entire time, not wanting to see anyone. According to Kaede, her wounds were probably bothering her. However, everyone else knew that it was the death of Hiten and Souta's plans that were causing her grief. Before they'd arrived at the village, the modern priestess had explained to them everything that had happened.

"I hope Kagome gets better," Sango mumbled as she slowly washed some clothes. Sango and Miroku were both doing laundry for Kaede, trying to help out with her chores while she was tending to Kagome. They were out in front of the old woman's hut, and glanced at the house from time to time, hoping to see their friend stumble out the door and into their arms.

"Kagome probably needs some time to think. She's a strong girl, I'm sure she'll be okay," Miroku replied as he hung some clothes to dry. He let out a sigh before touching his neck. For some reason, his throat had been stinging ever since they'd retrieved Kagome. He didn't understand why, but he thought it would be best if he kept it quiet. If he let Sango know he was getting sick with a cold, he find himself in the hut right next to Kagome.

"Where's Shippo?" the demon slayer asked, realizing that the tiny fox wasn't at her feet crying.

"He went with Inuyasha and Bankotsu to look for Souta's hide-out," was the monk's reply.

"I see."

"Hey Sango, could you finish the chores on your own?"

"You lazy bum!" Sango yelled, somewhat irritated. "You said we'd help "together". Not that I'd do them alone!"

"Yes yes yes, I know. I'll make it up to you."

Sango paused and looked at Miroku with a hint of worry. "Are you okay? With so much that's going on...Anything is possible. Don't keep secrets."

"Wow," Miroku laughed, stepping away from the clothes line and the girl. "Someone's jumping to conclusions."

"Am I?"

"I just want to leave and check out that sexy woman I saw pass by a few minutes ago..."

"Miroku!" Sango dropped the clean clothes on the grass and began chasing after the perverted monk. However, when she realized what she'd done to the clothes, she screamed in frustration and returned to them. "That perverted monk!" she mumbled to herself as she re-washed the now dirty items.

"Sango you silly girl," Miroku snickered to himself as he headed off towards the forest for some needed alone time.

Sango watched him disappear into the woods and looked down at her wash sadly. "Of course he's okay," she told herself. "Miroku isn't stupid enough to let himself get hurt..."

----------------

Kaede placed a damp rag over Kagome's forehead and looked down at the sleeping girl with pity. "Poor Kagome. You've been through so much already." Kaede turned around and walked towards the door. "Get some rest and recover quickly. Everyone is worried about you." Without another word, the old priestess slipped out the hut and left Kagome to rest.

Kagome opened her eyes when Kaede exited the hut and sat up. She looked down at the rag as it fell onto her lap, and smiled weakly. She felt fine, psychically. But, mentally she was a mess. She didn't want to see or talk with anyone. Everyone was suffering for her sake. _I want to help. I want to stop everyone's pain. But..._ She looked up at the door and stared at it for a few moments. _How am I supposed to work a miracle?_ She glanced down at the rag and picked it up.

As she examined it, she realized it belonged to Jakotsu. _Silly, Jakotsu. He must have been so worried, he made her use his things. _She laughed to herself and then remembered Bankotsu. _This whole thing wasn't my fault right...? I mean...why'd I have to fall in love with the leader of the Shichinintai? How weird is that? And then there's Inuyasha. _"I guess I could start my miracles by thinking about which guy...right?" she whispered to herself, starting to feel lonely.

_Let's see...Inuyasha has been with me since the beginning. He's always tried to save me when I was lost. But he's also always mean. He did finally tell me how he felt. Sometimes he can be a real jerk! But...he's still Inuyasha. _

_Bankotsu...He kidnapped me! He was really really really mean to me at first, he was going to try and romance me! Then...he saw me naked...almost. He let me get kidnapped, and then saved me from Hiten. Then he let me get kidnapped again and didn't save me. But he also...kissed me. And then he started treating me like I was the best thing in his life. He began to get over protective. He's human, and Inuyasha's a half demon...But Bankotsu's also dead. But he's really good looking...Awww, but Inuyasha has those fuzzy ears! But Bankotsu has that sexy braid..._ She soon gave up and flopped down on the bed. "So far...I don't know."

She had to admit, now that she'd thought about it, she felt a little better. "I need to talk to Sango," she told herself cheerfully. Maybe she can help me out.

-------------------

Mukotsu and Renkotsu had followed the rest of the Shichinintai to the old woman's village and were currently planning their next move, outside the nearby forest.

"We are going to get Suikotsu. We'd better do it fast because Souta will be giving us the signal to attack soon," Renkotsu told his partner.

"So how do you plan to do it?" a female voice asked, startling the two men.

"Who are you?" Mukotsu growled into the dark forest behind him.

"Yura of the hair," the woman answered, stepping out into the sunlight. "One of Souta's."

"I see! You're very beautiful!" Mukotsu exclaimed when he saw Yura's body.

Renkotsu rolled his eyes and stared at the ground. "You've seen her before you pervert. Back on Suikotsu now."

"Suikotsu," the demon girl giggled. "He's very handsome. However, you'll not find him here. He ran off with that Jakotsu and Kyoukotsu to find some herbs for their beloved Kagome."

"I see," Renkotsu mumbled, somewhat irritated. "This complicates things. Jakotsu already doesn't like us. I think he's on to our plans."

"What about Big Brother?" the poison master inquired.

"What about him? He's too busy with Kagome to worry about us. In fact, they've already forgotten about us."

"Those fools!"

"I have an idea," Yura announced.

"Yesss?" Mukotsu asked.

"Why don't I distract your little friends while you get the doctor?"

"That Yura, is a beautiful idea!"

"Yes...Indeed it is," Renkotsu laughed. "Let's go."

-------------------

When Kaede left the hut she found Sango washing clothes and a Kouga hiding in the bushes. "Kouga? What are you doing in the bushes?" the old woman asked, staring at the wolf tail sticking out.

"Right!" Kouga replied, jumping out. "I haven't been here for awhile." He rubbed the back of his head nervously. "Things happened...and I left Bankotsu and Inuyasha go after Kagome."

"You're not one to give up so easily..."

"No! I didn't give up! With Inuyasha and Bankotsu around, I'd never get a chance to be alone with her. I knew they'd save her, even though they're both stupid weak...uhmmmm beasts. So, I ran off and I've been stalking them ever since so that when they went away I could finally be alone with Kagome and tell her how I really feel!"

"I see...Well, I need to go and talk with Sango. Why don't you go in the hut and watch Kagome for me?"

"REALLY? YOU SERIOUS?"

"Yes...go go, before I change my mind."

"Thanks!" Without another word, Kouga ran over to the hut quickly and slipped inside.

"Was that really so wise?" Sango asked from her spot at the clothes line.

"I'm sure he'll be fine," Kaede laughed, approaching the demon slayer. "Where is that monk?"

"Miroku ran off into the woods. I'm kind of worried..." Sango replied.

"I see...Am I correct that Miroku was possessed once before?"

"Yes, by a spider demon."

"Are you sure it was the spider?"

"What are you saying."

Kaede began to help Sango with the clothes. "Souta is very evil...and your brother is without a doubt, at the center of these occurrences. It might be very possible, that the two boys have not let our monk free from their grip. Be careful Sango, and keep a short leash on Miroku. But at the same time, don't get too close. Kohaku does want you."

"Yes, he wants to make a body for himself. A new body..."

"You say, that the horrible demon Ryuukotsusei had possessed your brother...Correct?"

"Yes."

"Oh my," the old woman moaned, dropping a pile of clothes onto the grass. "I understand now. Sango, listen very carefully."

Sango picked up the now dirty clothes and dropped them into the bucket of wash water and then looked at the old woman. "I'm listening."

"About two months ago, there was an occurrence in a graveyard. Some priestesses were trying to revive some of their dead ancestors. However, the potion they created only worked to drag spirits to our world again. It would be up to the spirit to find a new body. As luck would have it, a demon stole their potion and ended up dropping it on Ryuukotsusei's grave. His spirit must have returned and went after Kohaku because he is your brother. Another reason is that Kohaku would be dead if it weren't for the shard in his back."

"Ryuukotsusei can make another demon body for himself. However, he'll need some items in order to do it."

Sango took a deep breath. "And what are those items?"

"I'm not sure. What I do know is that he needs a blood relative of the one he resides in. Ryuukotsusei cannot get a new body unless he can tear Kohaku's soul from the body. Kohaku is acting as a block for his own soul. Only you can tear Kohaku's soul from his body and that is why Ryuukotsusei needs you. Then, Kohaku's body will act as more ingredients for his new flesh. Afterwards, you'll probably be the new Ryuukotsusei's first meal."

"What about Miroku?"

"Hey may just be a pawn in capturing you."

Sango stared at the forest and let out a sigh. "We have to stop both of them."

------------------

"Kagome?" Kouga asked hesitantly as he slipped into the hut and saw Kagome sitting up and staring at the fire flickering in the corner of the room. "You're awake!"

"Kouga?" she asked softly, and turned her head toward the wolf demon. "What are you doing here?"

Kouga smiled softly and walked towards her. "I decided to let the dead guy and the mutt take care of you, while I went and fetched you something for your wounds." Kouga sat beside her and handed her a bouquet of flowers.

"Kouga," the modern priestess laughed as she took the flowers from him. "These are just flowers."

"Not just any flowers!" he protested. "They're good for stress. Whenever you feel stressed out, just smell them and then you'll feel better again. They can last up to eight days after being picked. I use them a lot in my pack."

"Thanks," she giggled, and smelt the flowers. They smelt so wonderful, like cherries and vanilla. Such a beautiful smell. "Kouga," she whispered, pulling the flowers away from her face and smiling at them. "They're wonderful. Thank you."

"Kagome...I love you."

Kouga's words startled her. She's forgotten about Kouga. Kouga of the wolf demons. He was as caring as Bankotsu in some ways, if not more. But...Kagome had never felt anything for him. Nothing more than friendship.

"I know you have that half demon and that clay man...but...I love you too."

"Kouga..."

"Is there any way I can make you fall in love with me too? Do I have a chance?"

Kagome looked up at Kouga and saw the sadness in his eyes. "I'm sorry Kouga...I like you, yes...but as a friend. I don't-"

Before she knew what was happening, she was in Kouga's arms and he was kissing her. It seemed like forever before he broke the kiss and when he did he searched her eyes, hoping to find something that would aid him. "I see," he mumbled sadly and released her. "Even if you don't love me...I'll always love you Kagome. It's probably best if I leave, buy if you ever need anything from me...Don't be afraid to call." He stood up swiftly and walked towards the door. "See you later Kagome!" he laughed cheerfully, before running out the door.

Kagome sat speechless in her bed on the floor, trying to figure out what had happened. _Kouga kissed me...to see how I'd respond? _She looked towards the door and smiled gently. "You're a great friend Kouga. I'll be sure to call you if I ever need help."

Outside Kouga was walking away from the hut at a steady pace, pain apparent in his eyes. _Kagome doesn't love me, she never has. Inuyasha and Bankotsu both have her heart. If those two break it...I swear. I'll kill both of them._ He looked back at the village again, and then ran off towards his home.

--------------------

Jakotsu, Kyoukotsu and Suikotsu where wandering through a village looking for people that would be kind enough to give some of their herbs to them. Most people gave them herbs because they were afraid of Kyoukotsu, but occasionally, they'd run into the blind person, and Jakotsu would use his own little method. Kyoukotsu was holding everything they'd retrieved, Suikotsu checked all the herbs to see if they needed them, and Jakotsu was the one threatening everyone and basically being the face of the deranged trio.

"Do we have enough herbs Suikotsu?" Jakotsu asked, not sure they'd ever get enough herbs for their precious Kagome.

"We had enough five miles ago. Jakotsu, now we've wandered into a different village!" Suikotsu exclaimed, slightly annoyed. He looked back at the giant walking behind them and let out a sigh. Poor Kyoukotsu, he was holding a huge cart, filled with herbs and gifts for the modern priestess. "We've cleaned out two villages now. Don't you think we're done?"

"Oh Suikotsu! Quit your complaining!" the pretty boy hissed.

"JAKOTSU...THIS IS REALLY HEAVY!" Kyoukotsu complained loudly.

"Shut up and carry it! We're going back to Kagome now."

"YES!" both Suikotsu and Kyoukotsu laughed happily. The trio started toward the village Kagome was in, but before they were able to leave the village they were already in, they ran into someone unexpected, at least to them.

"Hello boy," a woman said darkly, walking out of a house with a large handful of hair. "Why, Jakotsu...You have such lovely hair."

"Yura!" Jakotsu spat angrily. "You're head will make a gross gift to someone!"

"Look in the mirror, you gender confused lunatic."

"ME KILL YOU!" Kyoukotsu roared, throwing the cart of herbs at the enemy demon. Yura dodged the flying cart and fled deeper into the town.

"Kyoukotsu you moron! Suikotsu, clean up the mess for us!" Jakotsu ordered, before chasing after Yura with Kyoukotsu.

"Love too," Suikotsu sighed. He bent down and began cleaning up the mess, when a familiar face distracted him.

"Hello Suikotsu," Renkotsu snickered, stepping out of the same house Yura had, with Mukotsu following at his side. "How's everyone?"

"What happened to you guys?" Suikotsu asked, surprised. "You disappeared, and we didn't see from you again."

"Did anyone bother looking?" Renkotsu asked, his voice filled with malice. "Did Big Brother send anyone to look for us? Does anyone care?"

"Renkotsu..."

"I know, Big Brother's too busy with his woman. He cares more about her than us. Us the people who take his orders. The people who have been with him forever."

"Renkotsu?" Mukotsu asked, surprised by Renkotsu's outburst. "You never said anything about that..."

"Ever since Kagome came, she's his only worry. At first I just wanted him dead. I wanted power. But now...Big Brother doesn't care about the Shichinintai anymore. He doesn't care about you either. He doesn't give a damn what happens!"

"What are you saying?"

"Bankotsu doesn't care about us. Souta probably doesn't either, but at least he'll give us power. What does Bankotsu give you?"

Suikotsu was quiet as he thought about it. He owed his life to Bankotsu. But Renkotsu was right. Bankotsu only cared for Kagome now. All he really gave him was...

"Heart ache?" Mukotsu asked. "You love Kagome too."

"True," Suikotsu replied calmly. "Everything is true. However, you need to understand something. Bankotsu is still young. He has finally found someone he truly cares for, and people are trying to take her from him. Now, more than ever, he needs us by his side."

"So, what you're saying is that our leader is a child?" Mukotsu asked, with a smile.

"Essentially."

"Then answer me this...Why is a child leading a band of ruthless killers?"

Suikotsu became silent. "Big Brother may be young," Renkotsu told the doctor. "But because he is the leader of a band of killers, he is not allowed to have these childish problems. Your too compassionate. That's what I hate about you. But still, we need you."

"I will not join you," the doctor spat out.

"If you don't join, I'll tell everyone about your little feelings. Chances are, since you say Bankotsu is troubled because people are trying to take Kagome from him, he'll snap and attack you. Or maybe, she'll avoid you or something like that. What's worse? Kagome knowing, or Bankotsu?"

Suikotsu smiled and stepped back. "I don't care. Who says they'll believe you over me?"

"What?" both Renkotsu and Mukotsu spat out.

"You're both fools."

Renkotsu closed his eyes and began laughing. "They'll believe what they see."

"What?"

"Lord Souta has awesome abilities. If he can make a fake Inuyasha, he can make you too. If your fake does something stupid, really stupid...you're stuck. Bankotsu won't even listen." _That's right Suikotsu, you know exactly what I'll have your fake do to our innocent Kagome. I doubt Souta will care._

"You're a demon..."

"You're one too."

"Leave Kagome out of this...and I'll join you." Suikotsu mumbled in defeat. He couldn't let Kagome go through something like that. No matter what, he had to protect her.

"Good..."

-----------

"Shippo, shut up. Now!" Inuyasha cried in annoyance, as he and his travel partners returned to Kaede's village. "We're here now. Go see Kagome!"

"Kagome!" Shippo cried, jumping off of the half demons shoulder and running into Kaede's hut.

"Hello Inuyasha and Bankotsu," the old woman greeted. "Did you find Souta?"

"No," Bankotsu answered, crossing his arms. "This dog demon made us run around in circles the whole time. There is something terribly wrong with his sense of smell. A dog with a broken nose. How pathetic."

"If I remember correctly, you're the one who stuffed that crap up my nose!" Inuyasha shot back, refering to their past.

"Kagome's awake!" Shippo laughed happily, running out of the hut and into Kaede's arms. "Where's Sango?"

"Sango? Ah yes...she went to look for Miroku," Kaede answered.

"Is there something wrong with that perverted monk?" the half demon asked slightly worriedly. "I want to see Kagome, but if..."

"Miroku has apparently been acting strange...I'm worried for both of their safely," the old woman replied.

"I'm on in!" Inuyasha barked, and ran off toward the forest, following his friends scent. _Kagome, hold on a little while. I know that you'd want me to take care of them first..._

"That demon slayer loves that monk, huh?" Bankotsu asked Kaede, startling her. He walked toward the hut and smiled at both Kaede and Shippo before slipping in.

-------------

By now Kagome was thinking about finally getting out of bed, and was just about to when she found aBankotsu standing in the doorway.

"Are you feeling better?" he asked softly, setting his Banryuu down beside the door and walking toward her.

"B-Bankotsu?" she stuttered., standing up quickly. "Yes, I'm feeling loads better. I'm sorry about everything...You know, my brother, Hiten...I keep getting kidnapped. I'm causing so much trouble for you, you know, you really don't need to keep protecting me or anythi-" she was cut of by the Shichinintai leader when he pulled her into his arms and squeezed her tight.

"I'm sorry," he mumbled into her hair. "I keep letting you get hurt. Why do things like this keep happening?"

"Bankotsu, you don't need to worry..."

"No, I need too! I have this feeling Kagome..."

"A feeling?" she asked, somewhat worried now.

"I have this feeling that I'm about to lose you again. I don't want to lose you."

"Bankotsu..." _Inuyasha...he's done something like this before. But, when Bankotsu does this...I'll do anything to make him stop feeling guilty. _"Stop feeling that way. Nothing's your fault. I want to be with you too. You mean so much to me..."

"Have you made up your mind?" he asked, pulling away.

"What?"

"Nevermind," he said, looking away. "I'm glad you're feeling better. Get some more sleep." He turned to leave, but felt her small hands grab hold of his braid.

"Stay with me...Please?" she asked. He turned to her and looked into her eyes. Her eyes that were filled with so much love, it made him feel special. He was one of the few people that would recieve that look from her. So much had happened and she hadn't broken. "It's just that," she began quietly. "I love it when you hold me in your arms."

"I'll stay for as long as you want," was his reply.

----------------

Miroku stood alone in the forest, rubbing his neck in pain as he thought to himself. As he was rubbing his neck, he suddenly felt something that shouldn't be there. "What in the world?" he said to himself aloud, as he felt the shape of the object. Suddenly he realized what was in his neck, and his eyes widened. "A jewel shard?" He tried to pull it out, but each time he attempted, the pain increased, causing him to fall to his knees. "Dammit," he muttered, slamming his fist into the ground. "Why...? Why?"

He stared at the grass beneath him, and closed his eyes. "I was possessed once before..." He stood up quickly and looked around, worried that someone might have seen him. Once he was sure he was completely alone, he let out a sigh. _I'd better keep this quiet. I don't know what could happen if everyone finds out._

"Miroku?" a tender voice came from the trees. The monk turned to find Sango staring at him. "There you are," she said smiling. "I was really worried." She walked toward him and put her hands on his shoulders.

"Sango...Did you just get here?" he asked, somewhat worried that she'd seen him.

"Is something wrong?" she inquired, touching his forehead for a fever. "You feel fine."

"Of course I am," he laughed, taking her hand. "Let's return to the village. I'm sure we still have chores to finish."

------------

Souta stood outside his newly placed castle and stared up at the clouds covering the sun. "I can't believe I almost killed her," he said to himself, feeling angry. "Nevertheless. The plan must be set into motion." Souta turned around to find the young girl servert, Rani, waiting for his orders.

"Yes sir?" she asked, in her sweetest, most gentle voice. "Is it time?"

"Yep," Souta laughed, rubbing the hair on her head playfully. "Go tell Kohaku that he can send the signal."

"Yes Lord Souta," she answered, running into the castle quickly.

Souta returned his gaze to the cloudly sky and glared. "This time...I won't fail getting her."

CHAPTER END

**

* * *

**

**NEXT CHAPTER: The Stolen Sword**

With Suikotsu's easy fall and Miroku having his own problems and distracting the demon slayer, Souta sets his plans into motion. When Bankotsu tries to fix it, he only succeeds in helping Souta achieve his goal. Once agian, Kagome is pulled in the darkness, but this time, she might not be lucky enough to escape.

**

* * *

**

Souta's got mood-swings! Let's all point and laugh! Ahahah...Okay, whatever. I know that was so totally, horriblely utterly superly dooperly awfully evil... But, I'm sure you don't care either. Okay, now some serious stuff...My computer has been having problems lately, so it's going to die soon...Anyways, because of that, I'm going to have to use my mothers computer. However, I can almost never get on, so writing a story with be quite difficult. So, what I'm trying to say...is that I might have problems updating until I get a new computer. It all just depends. K, I love everyone reading this! Buh-bye!


	17. The Stolen Sword

**Yeah, sorry about the long time to update. I've been really busy with finals and stuff. Yeah, pretty evil. Anyways, here's a happy little chapter. Enjoy!**

**STORY NOTE: Uhmmmm...I'm tired...This chapter is shorter than usual.**

**

* * *

**

Disclaimer: I do not own Inuyasha only some of the random things that I make up.

Warnings: OOC (some characters) , mild language, fluff, scary situation

Key:_ thought , _"speech" **flashback **_"in head speech"_

**

* * *

**

**ReCaPrEcApReCaPrEcApReCaPrEcApReCaPrEcApReCaPrEcApReCaP**

**LAST TIME... **

Souta stood outside his newly placed castle and stared up at the clouds covering the sun. "I can't believe I almost killed her," he said to himself, feeling angry. "Nevertheless. The plan must be set into motion." Souta turned around to find the young girl servert, Rani, waiting for his orders.

"Yes sir?" she asked, in her sweetest, most gentle voice. "Is it time?"

"Yep," Souta laughed, rubbing the hair on her head playfully. "Go tell Kohaku that he can send the signal."

"Yes Lord Souta," she answered, running into the castle quickly.

Souta returned his gaze to the cloudly sky and glared. "This time...I won't fail getting her."

**ReCaPrEcApReCaPrEcApReCaPrEcApReCaPrEcApReCaPrEcApReCaP**

**

* * *

**

Catch you Catch Kagome

**CHAPTER SEVENTEEN: The Stolen Sword**

Suikotsu, Mukotsu and Renkotsu were all sitting around a campfire in the middle of the forest, waiting for night fall. Suikotsu was rather gloomy, after giving into his evil partners and was busy wondering how he'd ever live with himself. No doubt they were going after Kagome and with their new plan to steal Banryuu, the doctor wandered how sane the two of them were. "So...You're planning to steal Big Brother's Banryuu...tonight?" the kind doctor asked, checking to see if he heard them correctly the first time. "It's suicide!"

"We have a plan," answered an annoyed Renkotsu. "Just do what you're told."

"How do you plan to carry the halberd?"

"Oh no!" Mukotsu gasped. "Renkotsu, how _are_ we supposed to carry it?"

"Just shut up and let me think!" the bald man yelled. _I forgot how heavy Banryuu is...How are we supposed to carry it?_ Renkotsu looked at his surroundings and noticed how dark it'd become. The fire was now their only source of light at the moment. Suddenly, their fire turned blue and then went out. "That was the signal. Suikotsu, get down there and distract Brother Bankotsu. Mukotsu, help me get the sword. We'll come back for Kagome later."

----------

A soft knocking on the door of the hut was what disturbed the peaceful couple. "What is it?" Bankotsu yelled at the door, slightly irritated.

"Big Brother, it's me," Suikotsu said on the other side. "It's Mukotsu and Renkotsu, I saw them sneaking around."

"I'll be right back!" the Shichinintai leader told the girl in his arms as he set her in her bed again. "Wait for me, okay?" Without another word, he was out the huts door and talking with the doctor outside.

Kagome glanced over the door where her beloved's Banryuu was placed and smiled softly. "If he left Banryuu...he will be back," she told herself.

"Oh he'll be back," a familiar voice laughed. Kagome turned around quickly to find Mukotsu climbing in through the back window. She was about to scream for help, when he jumped into her lap and covered her mouth. Kagome looked back at the window and found Renkotsu climbing in as well.

"Keep her busy," the fire wielder told the poison master as he approached his leaders prized halberd. He took a drink out of the container at his side and breathed a mouthful of fire at the halberd which engulfed the weapon and turned blue. "Let's get out of here," he told Mukotsu as he easily picked up the weapon and headed toward the window again. _Lord Kohaku's fire is very magical indeed._

Mukotsu looked at the modern priestess and shot her an ugly smile. "I've always wanted to do this," he whispered, removing his hand to replace it with a mouth. Kagome's eyes widened in horror as the poison master kissed her. The kiss had distracted her so much, she hadn't realized his wandering hand groping one of her breasts.

"Mukotsu!" Renkotsu hissed. "You can do that later! Let's go!" The Shichinintai member pulled away and followed the other one out the window, leaving a stunned Kagome sitting in her bed. Minutes later, Bankotsu and Suikotsu ran into the hut to check on Kagome.

"Are you okay?" Bankotsu asked her worriedly. "I saw those two leaving from the back. Did they do anything to you? When I get my hands on them...I'll rip out both of their throats!"

"Suikotsu," she whispered softly. "Could you leave the two of us alone for a minute?"

"Sure," the doctor answered hesitantly. As soon as he left, Kagome motioned for Bankotsu to approach her. He did as she asked and stood over her for a few seconds before she grabbed his hands and pulled him on top of her small frame.

"Kiss me," she ordered him. The Shichinintai leader wasn't about to object, so he placed his hands on her shoulders and pushed her down onto the floor and kissed her compassionately; however, he broke the kiss when he felt her move one of his hands to her breast. He gave her a puzzled look as he glanced down at his hand. "Kagome?" he asked, sounding confused.

"It's just that," she began, averting her eyes from him, tears forming in them. "Mukotsu just did that...I wanted you to make it all better." Bankotsu's eyes suddenly filled with rage as he lifted himself off of her. He'd been trying to hard to keep her innocent, and that damned poison master had to go and defile her. That body of hers was his and his alone, unless she stated otherwise. "Where are you going?" she asked him, as he headed toward the door. "Oh! Bankotsu, Renkotsu took your Banryuu!" she blurted out, upon remembering.

"WHAT?" he yelled, now angrier than ever. "I'm going to get back my sword and get revenge." As Bankotsu left the hut he walked past a silent Suikotsu. "Suikotsu," he said, catching the doctors attention. "Protect Kagome for me. I don't want anything to happen to her...Not again." Suikotsu didn't know what Bankotsu was talking about, but he had an idea. The expression on his leaders face was proof enough that Mukotsu had done something stupid.

---------------

"I can't believe that was so easy!" Mukotsu exclaimed happily, eyeing the glowing Banryuu in his partners arms. "Such a simple task!"

"Not yet," Renkotsu muttered nervously.

"What's wrong?" asked the now confused poison master. "Is there something wrong?"

"We'd still be in trouble since we stole his halberd, but since you pulled that stupid stunt...You can bet Big Brother's in a rage now."

"RENKOTSU? MUKOTSU?" a loud voiced echoed angrily from deep inside the dark forest.

"Ohhhh shit!" Mukotsu cried. "What have I done! I should have waited!"

Renkotsu glared at the tiny man freaking out beside him. "Idiot."

"Ohhh...but they felt so soft and...her lips so sweet!"

"MUKOTSU!" the voice boomed again. "WHERE ARE YOU?" Renkotsu stopped walking when he heard the sound of running water. He glanced down at Mukotsu and frowned.

"Did...you just wet yourself?" he asked, hesitantly. Mukotsu refused to speak and glared at the ground in front of him. "Let's just concentrate one escaping."

"I agree..."

"Forget escaping," a voice laughed. "Souta has another job for you." The voice belonged to Yura, and the hair woman stepped out into sight with a twisted smile on her face. "Renkotsu, go to the very edge of the forest on the north side where you'll find a cav-"

"A cave. Our hideout," Renkotsu interrupted.

"Yes," the demon nodded. "Wait there. I will stop Bankotsu. Mukotsu, return to the village and kidnap the priestess while your Suikotsu distracts everyone. He'll leave with you and Kagome."

--------------

At the village, Suikotsu was sitting around a fire with the Inuyasha gang outside of Kaede's hut. Everyone was talking about the disappearance of Bankotsu, not knowing anything about his halberd or Kagome. The doctor looked up towards the forest to find a familiar flame signal, belonging to Renkotsu. He took a deep breath, he knew exactly what he had to do. Jakotsu and Kyoukotsu hadn't returned yet, and the two of them were probably still busy with Yura.

"I think I'll go ask Kagome what happened," Inuyasha said during his conversation with the others. This line, and this line only, caught Suikotsu's attention.

"I'm afraid that won't be possible," the turned Shichinintai member said standing up quickly and staring at the group before him. He quickly put on his claw and checked to make sure it wouldn't slip off.

"Why's that?" Inuyasha asked, slightly confused.

"Because you'll be fighting me." Without another word, the doctor charged toward the half demon, jabbing him in the shoulder.

"The hell is wrong with you?" Inuyasha hissed, pulling out his Tetsusaiga. "If you wanna die, I have no objections!" The fight began and the two staring fighting viciously, Suikotsu letting his dark side get the best of him.

While Suikotsu was distracting the group, Mukotsu made his way to Kaede's hut. Inside Kagome was rocking back in forth in her bed, wondering if she should get up. When she lifted her head and her eyes met with the poison master, she wanted to scream. She wanted to run. She would have done just that, but unfortunately for her, Mukotsu had already covered her mouth and was heading out the window again with her as his prize.

"Are you working with Souta? Or has Bankotsu just turned sides?" Inuyasha asked as his sword collided with his opponents claw. "What the hell is going on?"

"Bankotsu isn't about to betray Kagome!" Suikotsu hissed, punching the half demon with his free hand and then clawing him with the other. "But I will!"

Inuyasha jumped back and wiped his bloody chin. "So you're with her brother. I'm gonna rip you to shreds!" Inuyasha was about to use the wind scar when something disturbing caught his ears.

"Inuyasha!" Kagome screamed. The group looked toward the forest to see Mukotsu running toward it, carrying Kagome on his back.

"Kagome!" The half demon made and attempt to help her, but was blocked by Suikotsu. "Damn! Sango, Miroku, save her!"

"Right!" Miroku said, standing up and running toward the forest with Sango and Kirara. But they too were stopped, by a huge wall of fire.

"Suikotsu, let's go." Renkotsu said from behind the fire wall. Suikotsu was about to follow when a missile was shot at his side, startling him. He turned to find a sad Ginkotsu watching him. Ginkotsu had been off looking for items to help Kagome on his own, and everyone had forgotten about him. Now, the expression on his face was somewhat sad. "Ginkotsu, come with us!" called Renkotsu to his close friend. Though it was hard to see, the pain in Ginkotsu's eyes had become very obvious. "GINKOTSU COME!"

"No," Ginkotsu answered. "I will not betray Brother Bankotsu, gesh..."

"He doesn't care about us! Screw him!" Renkotsu yelled, now angry.

"But he needs us."

"Ginkotsu, if you don't join me...We will be enemies. I will kill you."

"Renkotsu," the tank answered, his voice happy yet sad. "You are my best friend, the most important person in the world. I thank you for this body and I would gladly give my life to save you; however, what you're doing is wrong, gesh. I cannot follow."

The fire died down and Renkotsu stood there, with an emotionless expression on his face. "I see," he laughed. "Then...you'll die with them!" Forgetting about his past, the fire Shichinintai member took a drink of his solution, and spit out a ball of fire at Ginkotsu. The fire ball would have hit the metal tank, but Inuyasha stopped it with his wind scar. Once the fire was out, the half demon turned to yell at the traitors but found nothing but air.

----------------

"Where are you Mukotsu?" Bankotsu screamed again, wandering through the forest and finding himself at their base. "That little bastard. When I find him-"

"You're not going to," came a female voice that made the Shichinintai leader's skin crawl. "Because he's already safe with Lord Souta. You've lost."

Realization hit Bankotsu like a brick and he began running toward the village again. "Kagome, please be safe!" he breathed to himself, fearing for her safety. When he reached the village, he found the Inuyasha group, Ginkotsu, Kyoukotsu, and Jakotsu waiting for him. "Where's Kagome?" he hissed upon reaching them.

"She's gone. They took her," Inuyasha replied dully, sitting on the ground with his head lowered.

"Why didn't you stop them?" the young teen asked with a harsh tone. "It was your job! Why are you just sitting around here?"

"I lost their scent okay!" the half demon snapped back. "Wouldn't you have been even more pissed if we'd ditched you. Why don't we look for Kagome together?"

"BIG BROTHER, JOINING INUYASHA WOULD BE A GOOD THING RIGHT NOW," Kyoukotsu announced.

"The big guy's right. We should work together...after all, we're trying to protect the same thing."

"I don't know if I want to travel with Jakotsu," Miroku whispered into Sango's ear.

"I hear ya," Sango replied.

Bankotsu closed his eyes and took a deep breath. Only half of his men where still with him, only half had betrayed him. "Fine. We'll search...together."

CHAPTER END

**

* * *

**

**NEXT CHAPTER: Kagome and Banryuu**

Mukotsu tries to have his way with the modern priestess; however, he's not getting anything so long as Kagome is hugging Banryuu! Bankotsu finds his beloved sword and woman just in time to have a battle! This time, things are looking good for our villain and bad for our heroes!

**

* * *

**

There you go! I'll try and have the next chapter up as soon as possible, so don't kill me. Yeah, it'll hopefully be up by next week. Bye bye!


	18. Kagome and Banryuu

**I'm horrible...Okay, you can all shoot me. I'm such a bad author-lady. Go ahead, I should be punished for my lack of keeping words and never updating...Such a bad Suggaro...Anyways, this is a fairly odd chapter, but I'm sure you'll all like it. I like it. A lot of things happen in here, so yeah...Enjoy.**

**

* * *

**

Disclaimer: I do not own Inuyasha only some of the random things that I make up.

Warnings: OOC (some characters) , mild language, some more terrible scary stuff.

Key:_ thought , _"speech" **flashback **_"in head speech"_

**

* * *

**

**ReCaPrEcApReCaPrEcApReCaPrEcApReCaPrEcApReCaPrEcApReCaP**

**LAST TIME... **

"Why didn't you stop them?" the young teen asked with a harsh tone. "It was your job! Why are you just sitting around here?"

"I lost their scent okay!" the half demon snapped back. "Wouldn't you have been even more pissed if we'd ditched you. Why don't we look for Kagome together?"

"BIG BROTHER, JOINING INUYASHA WOULD BE A GOOD THING RIGHT NOW," Kyoukotsu announced.

"The big guy's right. We should work together...after all, we're trying to protect the same thing."

"I don't know if I want to travel with Jakotsu," Miroku whispered into Sango's ear.

"I hear ya," Sango replied.

Bankotsu closed his eyes and took a deep breath. Only half of his men where still with him, only half had betrayed him. "Fine. We'll search...together."

**ReCaPrEcApReCaPrEcApReCaPrEcApReCaPrEcApReCaPrEcApReCaP**

**

* * *

**

Catch you Catch Kagome

**CHAPTER EIGHTEEN: Kagome and Banryuu**

When Kagome opened her eyes, she found herself in what appeared to be a storage room. The room was dusty and dark, the only source of light from the cracks in the walls. The room was mostly filled with crates and barrels and not a window in sight. One object however, caught the young girls attention quickly. She tried to move toward it, but found her legs and arms were tied. With her curiosity growing, she stood herself up and began hopping toward the long item covered with a brown blanket. She bit onto the blanket and pulled it off with her teeth, revealing Bankotsu's beloved Banryuu. "Bankotsu..." she whispered sadly, eyeing the sword. She kneeled down beside the halberd and leaned her head against it, letting it comfort her slightly.

"Why'd it have to turn out this way?" she asked herself. "I miss you. I hoped we'd get to be together a little longer more." She hadn't been alone with Bankotsu in awhile. At least not long enough anyways. They hadn't gotten much time to just be together for a whole day or something like that. Everyone was busy...and she was always being kidnapped. "Oh Bankotsu...when will I see you again? Come save me soon."

All the modern priestess could think of was his beautiful smiling face. His long black hair in that braid, his sparkling blue eyes, his warm smile, his tender touch... She lifted her head and looked into the blade of the shiny halberd. She could almost see his face looking back at her. _"I'll be there soon."_ She could hear the image tell her. She sighed again and placed her head down again. "Just hurry Bankotsu."

"I'm afraid he won't be coming to aid you anymore," a familiar voice laughed, making Kagome's skin crawl. The young girl turned to find the poison master standing behind her, a lustful grin on his face. "Nobody will stop me this time. You're all mine for the taking."

Kagome's eyes shone in horror as the small man closed the door behind him and approached her. "G-get back!" she ordered, even though she knew it wouldn't help. She hated to admit it, but she might just be in trouble. It looked like Mukotsu had the upper hand, and with the way he'd been treated before, whatever he was going to do to her was going to be extreme. It made her sick to think about what might happen in the next half hour, but she wasn't about to give into those nightmares without a fight. If he was going to do anything to her, he'd have to beat her down first.

"My lovely Kagome," the poison master snickered, reaching out to touch her. When his course hand touched her cheek, she flinched a bit. "What are you going to do now?" he taunted.

"You'll see," she replied, sneered as she pulled away and bit down on his hand.

"Dammit!" he screamed, tearing his hand out of her mouth and rubbing it. "Stupid woman!" She wasn't able to celebrate for long, because as soon as his hand stopped hurting, Mukotsu slapped her across the face. She looked up at him with fiery eyes and threatened him to hit her again, and he happily did so. "You'll submit to me, or die!" he hissed, trying to scare her into submission.

"Forget it," she spat back. "If you killed me, Souta would have your head."

Mukotsu grit his teeth and held back back the urge to smack her. Once again he'd forgotten something very important. He couldn't do much to Kagome without pissing his new Lord off. After all, she was his beloved sister. Unfortunately for Mukotsu, he wouldn't be able to violate Kagome completely without the consent of his new boss. And of course he knew he probably wouldn't get it, so he'd just have to make do with what he could.

"Loooser," she taunted, laughing at his deformed face.

"Oh really?" he asked, stopping her laughter. He stepped forward making her scramble to her feet as fast as she could and also back up. Her eyes filled with fear when she backed up against the halberd and had no place else to go.

"Oh no!" she breathed to herself. "This is it..."

------------

"It's already morning...This is all your fault," Bankotsu breathed angrily as he walked ahead of the Inuyasha group with his own gang. "That damn demon Inuyasha..." The morning sun shone brightly without a cloud in sight to block it's warmth.

"Please Big Brother," Jakotsu begged. "Calm down! Kagome will be fine!"

"Gesh, I believe Jakotsu is correct," added Ginkotsu.

"And I can't believe that Suikotsu would betray me as well. What the hell is wrong with this group?" the Shichinintai leader snarled to himself.

"Brother Bankotsu," the cross-dresser protested. "Please don't pull us into that category of traitors."

"Tch," was the replied. Bankotsu said nothing more for a long time, the silence tearing both Jakotsu and Ginkotsu apart. Kyoukotsu, however, was walking with Inuyasha's group, admiring Kirara. Jakotsu could tell their leader was more than pissed off. After having his woman defiled by Mukotsu, and his sword stolen...they'd also taken her as well.

"Big brother..."Jakotsu sighed. Though Bankotsu wasn't saying anything, the worry in his eyes was obvious. Kagome was probably alone with that poison master, able to do whatever the hell he wanted to. Jakotsu shook his head in disgust as he imagined hearing the young girls voice, crying out for help. "We just have to save Kagome!"

The group was walking in an open grassland, heading toward the faint smell both Kirara and Inuyasha had picked up. The smell didn't belong to Kagome, but her brother...Souta. If they found Souta, they'd probably be able to find their modern priestess as well. Bankotsu closed his eyes in worry. If he didn't make it in time...how would he make it up to her? Would she hate him...? He shook his head in anger and looked up at the sky with fiery eyes. _Kagome...please be safe until I met you. I'll be there as soon as possible._

Ginkotsu, who was traveling with Jakotsu on his shoulder, also looked very sad. "Oh Ginkotsu, don't worry about it," the cross-dresser laughed, trying to cheer him up. "I'm sure Renkotsu is just kidding. He'll be back with us soon."

"It's alright Jakotsu," the metal Shichinintai member replied. "That fire was meant for me. Renkotsu really hates me now."

"Awww..." Jakotsu cried, hugging Ginkotsu around the neck. "I'll be your friend until then."

"Thank you Jakotsu, but I'm prepared to kill Renkotsu, gesh. I am..." Ginkotsu looked over at his worried leader who was walking slightly faster. "Renkotsu cannot be forgiven for helping inflict pain upon Big Brother. Brother Bankotsu needs us now."

"I'm glad that you can also see that." Jakotsu sighed and leaned back. _All the somewhat normal Shichinintai guys left, leaving me with the pile of metal and weird giant. Bankotsu's pissed off...Inuyasha hates me. So does everyone else. Kagome's missing...How am I supposed to have an intelligent conversation?_

--------------

Kagome slammed her eyes shut as soon as she saw Mukotsu reach for her. As he touched her, she flinched back and fell onto the halberd. Groaning in pain, she found herself sitting a top the large weapon, Mukotsu close to catching her. But as he reached toward her skirt, something odd happened...A spark of purple light zapped him.

"What the hell?" the poison master growled in annoyance. He reached for her again, only to get shocked again. Angrily, he picked up one of the barrels in the room and tossed it at the priestess, hoping to knock her off of Banryuu. However, just as the barrel was about to hit her, a purple wall formed, smashing the barrel into pieces.

"Y-you can't touch me," Kagome laughed triumphantly. The poison master looked down at the halberd of which she was sitting and noticed that it was glowing it's usual evil color. The only difference this time was, that Bankotsu wasn't wielding it. The young girl felt safe on the sword and allowed it's light to comfort her aching heart.

"Dammit," Mukotsu mumbled, confused as to what was happening. _Nobody ever told me that Banryuu thought on it's own...or does it? Maybe it's protecting her for Bankotsu...maybe it's protecting her in Bankotsu's place...or maybe..._ Mukotsu's eyes widened in jealously. _Maybe that sword wants her too! _Mukotsu became angrier as he watched Kagome sit comfortably upon the swords blade, her soft thighs against the metal. "You can't have her!" he hissed. "I worked hard to steal her!" Before he had a chance to say anything else, he was zapped again.

"Don't think nasty thoughts!" Kagome yelled at him, patting the sword cheerfully, guessing what the poison master had been thinking. Just to spite him, she laid down on the sword and let it's protective light engulf her. The aura, even though it was evil, was warm and tender, reminding her of the man she'd been taken from. As long as she was with his beloved sword, she could wait for an eternity. "I love you Bankotsu," she breathed into the blade, a smile on her face.

--------------

"Kagome," Inuyasha breathed to himself, as he noticed Souta's scent becoming stronger. He walked slowly behind Bankotsu's group, and his own, and busied himself with thoughts of the modern priestess. He glanced up at Bankotsu who was far ahead of him and glared. Kagome cared for the Shichinintai leader very much, and he feared that she'd given her heart to him. Strange feelings of anger began to grow inside the half demon, making him want to tear the Shichinintai apart. "Kagome would never forgive me," he told himself aloud, catching Shippo's attention.

"Inuyasha?" the fox demon asked, jumping off of Sango's back and running beside the half demon. "Is something wrong?"

"No, I'm fine," Inuyasha replied, rubbing his head.

**"Are you worried?" Kagome asked suddenly, turning him around and gazing into his eyes. "Are you worried that I'm going to leave you for him?" Bankotsu slowly nodded and Kagome turned away. "I don't know what I'm going to do. I'll tell you the truth...I like you both..."**

**"But," Bankotsu whispered, pulling her into his arms and kissing her neck lovingly, "Your heart doesn't belong to either of us. I still have a chance."**

**A smile crept to Kagome's face as his kisses tickled her neck, making her flinch away with a giggle. **

Inuyasha covered his face and thought hard. He remembered seeing Kagome and Bankotsu in the forest together, talking about the same exact thing he was worried about. She might have said she liked them both the same, but it was obvious she liked Bankotsu more. Bankotsu had kissed the modern priestess and he hadn't done it at all. He was going to have to change that.

"I don't think you're okay," Shippo uttered, running to Sango again. "Hey Sango," he whispered. "Something's wrong with Inuyasha."

"Quiet Shippo, he's looking for Kagome. Just leave him alone okay," Sango told the fox demon as he picked him up into her arms.

"Yes, you should listen to Sango. Inuyasha is probably very worried about Kagome," Miroku agreed.

"Okay," Shippo replied, glancing back at the half demon. He could feel something none of the others could, something about Inuyasha wasn't right. His aura was dark and dangerous. His eyes were abnormally glossy and cold._ Something's wrong with Inuyasha! If only they'd look at him..._

"What are you looking at?" Inuyasha asked, in a harsh voice.

"N-nothing!" the fox demon answered, turning his head around again. _What am I going to do? _He looked at Kirara and noticed that she'd felt the exact same thing as him. _Don't worry Kirara, we'll make sure nothing happens to anyone!_

Inuyasha made a fist as he continued walking. _What is all this anger? _he asked himself. _Is this all mine?_ He shook his head and decided to dismiss it; however, their was a strange hate bubbling in the back of his mind.

---------------------

"Inuyasha's approaching me," Souta laughed to himself. He was standing on a cliff near the cabin which his sister was being held. He'd been heading there to pick up his sister, and never imagined Inuyasha would use his own scent to find Kagome. "That stupid demon."

"Lord Souta," Rani said softly as she walked toward her masters side. "The demons have brought a message from Lord Kohaku." Since you've never really known much about Rani, because she was so very unimportant...here's some info on the servant of Souta. Rani was no older than seven, and she looked nothing magnificent, seeing that she was merely a servant. She had black hair tied back in a bun and wore a pink kimono that was slightly big for her. Just a simple and plain young girl.

"Read it."

"Yes'm! It says that Lord Kohaku will be here shortly and wishes for you depart with him," she explained.

"I see," the teen replied, closing his eyes and brushing his bangs back. "Damn kid. Can't he see that I want my sister?"

"Lord Souta," Rani spoke softly, wondering if she was going to get yelled at. Her master seemed to be in a good mood, but she could never be certain. The smallest thing could make him snap. "I was wondering...Why did you choose me to come along?"

Souta smiled and looked down at the small girl at his side. "You're not fit to stay in the castle with all those demons," he answered. "If I left you there they might eat you."

"Of course, Sir."

"You're pure at heart," he explained, sitting down beside her. "If things don't go planned...You will help me achieve my goals."

_Really? _She smiled happily and hugged him around the neck. "I'm happy I can be useful to you." _Lord Souta really needs me! I'm so happy..._

"Let's just hope it doesn't come to that..."

"It doesn't matter...I'd do anything for you Master."

"I'm glad you've decided to be so loyal."

Rani squeezed him tighter and closed her eyes. _Lord Souta is almost as kind as he was before the transformation...I wish he could stay like this forever._

**"Help me!" the kid version of Souta cried as Kohaku slammed him against the wall. "I d-don't want to kill anyone! I didn't want this! Stop it!"**

**"You're rejecting my powers as a child," Kohaku snarled at the boy. "This isn't going to work. I need you."**

**"Help me!" Souta cried, reaching toward Rani who was standing quietly behind the two. Souta had still been in his child form when he began reviving people, and he and Rani had become friends. But one day, while he was trying to revive a demon, his mind snapped and he began to return to his old self. Kohaku had decided to turn Souta into a young man, so his mind and body would accept the powers. It worked, but turned the boy who was kind to his minions into a moody warrior. Souta's mind still rejected the powers at times, but it was something Kohaku was unable to change. For the most part, Kohaku had made it so Souta would be fine, unless something triggered the change. **

Souta wrapped his arm around the little girl's waist and pulled her closer. She continued to smile happily, but soon her smile faded as she began to realize something. _Lord Kohaku has turned Souta into a young man while I am still a child...he'll never notice me. Not as a child...Maybe if I can have Lord Kohaku make me older...you'll love me as I love you._

Rani had died a lonely and painful death. She had lived in a village nearby the old castle, and was killed by her own parents. She remembered it like it had happened the day before. She's returned home after collecting berries for the family and entered her house to find her brothers and sisters all dead. Her parents were being controlled by demons, and she'd tried to escape. As soon as she'd left the house her parents had caught her. She felt unloved and hated, the harsh words of her parents echoed deep inside her heart. She found herself lost in darkness, until one day...

**"Are you awake?" a boys voice asked. Rani opened her eyes and looked up to see Kohaku holding her in his arms. "You are awake."**

**"D-did you..save me?" she stuttered, almost too tired to speak. **

**"No," the demon slayer answered cheerfully. "He did." Kohaku pointed at the young Souta standing in the doorway of the house, his expression seemed to be horrified as he stared inside. "Say hello to your new servant Souta. Another good job indeed."**

**When Souta turned to her, his face became a smile, as if the sight hadn't affected him at all. "Hello there," he said in a warm voice. "You don't have to worry about anything. We'll take care of you."**

**"Souta?" the demon slayer asked softly. "Why did you revive this girl? Why not someone useful?"**

**Kohaku's words tore into the little girls heart and she was about to cry when she heard something that made her heart with with happiness. **

**"She's got a pure heart. Nobody could be more useful than that," was the reply of her new master. She knew then, and forever, she'd love him with all her heart. He was the one who had saved her from the darkness, and brought her into his light. Even if it was a tainted one.**

"I see you two are bonding," chuckled the familiar voice that belonged to Kohaku. "Having fun?"

"What do you want?" Souta asked, releasing Rani and standing up. "You're cutting into my time with Kagome."

"Oh...it's worthwhile."

Souta looked down at Rani, his smile erased from his face and patted her on the back. "Go and make sure Inuyasha is still headed toward us."

"Yes, Sir," she answered, knowing it was just an excuse to get her to leave. She left the two men and headed toward the mob of demons half a mile away, waiting for their Lord to return and order them around. Souta had given Rani control of the demons since the incident with Kagome and Inuyasha. She never understood why he'd rewarded her for doing something bad, and hoped it was his good sides doing.

Once she'd gone to far to hear the conversation, the older teen turned his eyes toward his partner. "What is it?" he asked, with a bored tone.

"No need to be snobby," the demon slayer laughed. "You're planning on confronting Bankotsu and Inuyasha aren't you? Instead of killing them both separately, why not have them do it for you?"

Souta raised his eyebrow and smiled. "What's your plan?"

"What's yours?"

"I was planning on taking control of the Shichinintai and using them to get Kagome."

"Well...Why don't we also get rid of them at the same time. While you are controlling the Shichinintai, I'll take control of the half demon. Once they're all dead, we can take Kagome and my sister and kill anyone left alive."

"Sneaky indeed...How much time do you need to prepare?"

"None...Inuyasha's already fallen into my grasp. Now all I need to do is spring the trap."

Souta closed his eyes and smirked. "I like the sound of that. I'll go to the cabin where my sister is being held and lead them there. I'll meet you there."

Kohaku smiled evilly when Souta jumped off the cliff and headed toward the cabin. He knew he would have his sister soon...and everything would be perfect. _Souta, when I gain my new body, I'll be able to make it so you never feel pain again. You'll never have to fear turning back to your old self. I like you...Maybe I won't kill you after all._ He shaded his eyes as he looked up at the sun. _Maybe we can be partners for real..._ He turned around when he heard soft footsteps coming toward him and found Rani standing shyly before him.

"May I ask you a question?" the servant girl inquired softly.

"Go ahead."

"May I ask what has become of Naraku and his two followers?"

"Ahhh...yes...Souta hasn't had much need for them lately. They aren't as useful as Yura. I have a feeling he's just keeping them out of his way." Kohaku smiled and turned away, looking up at the sun again.

"I see," she replied. _He still has me by his side, even when he has capable demons like that...?_

"Is something bothering you child?"

"What?" she asked, slightly startled. "Of course not!"

"Tell me something, Rani. When I acquire my new body...what should I look like?"

"Lord Kohaku?"

The demon slayer looked down at his hands and made a fist. He was dressed in Kohaku's usual clothes, and hadn't changed them in awhile. Why would he want to change them? It pained the boys sister twice as much when he wore them. "I've become fond of the human figure. In fact, I was thinking about creating my new body to resemble a human man. What do you think?" he turned his head toward her, a curious expression on his face.

"If I may say, I'd personally like it. I'm used to you as a human already..." she answered. "Even though I know you're a great demon!" she corrected, worried that she'd offended him.

"Thank you," he laughed. "What about you? I can see that you care for Souta...Is there something you wanted to ask me...?"

"Lord Kohaku!" she spat out, bowing in respect. "You were able to age Souta into a handsome young man...Would you be so kind to do so for me?"

The young boy turned around and walked over to the young servant. "Is that what you want? It might hurt..."

"I don't care! If it will help me to make Lord Souta notice me, I'll do anything!"

"I see," he replied smiling. _Humans are such strange creatures...Love. What a stupid thing to be chasing after. However, her heart is so pure...If I was to give her my powers as well..._ "If you insist. I'll make you older, and you'll become very lovely and very powerful."

"Thank you so much, Lord Kohaku," she replied, smiling as she closed her eyes and felt him touch her forehead. _Souta...Let me be with you...I promise I will be useful to you. Not just as a warrior or a servant, but as your woman._

-------------------------

"Stupid slut!" Mukotsu screamed in anger. "I'll make you mine! I don't care what happens!" Mukotsu threw himself toward the young girl again and screamed in pain as the Banryuu's aura wall stung his skin. Even though the pain was horrible, he refused to lose to his leader and pushed himself harder. Slowly and painfully, his arm reached through the barrier and he grasped onto Kagome's leg.

"I got you," he hissed evilly. Once he made sure he had a good grip, he pulled as hard as he could, yanking her off of the halberds protective bubble. "You're mine."

"Dammit," the young girl groaned, rubbing her bottom. She'd fallen hard, and when she looked up, was horrified to find Mukotsu looming over her. "Leave me alone!" she cried, trying to push him away.

"Forget it," he growled, forcing himself on top of her and pulling up her shirt. "You won't escape this time." Mukotsu was to involved in attacking the priestess and he failed to noticed to cabin door open and close. He didn't realize they had company until he felt a strong hand grab his arm and squeeze, nearly breaking it in two.

"What the hell do you think you're doing?" the cold and angry figure asked.

Mukotsu suddenly turned white with fear. Even though it was to dark for him to see who it was, he knew exactly who was behind him. "Nothing...she was...Souta..."

"Don't lie to me," Souta snapped, throwing the poison master into a stack of barrels. "And it's Lord Souta." He walked over to his sister who was nearly in tears and bent down beside her. "Kagome...Are you alright?" Renkotsu stood silently in the doorway, watching the reunion with interest.

Kagome slowly sat up and looked into her brothers concerned eyes. She wanted to hug him, at first. But then she remembered what had happened last time she'd seen him. She tried to speak, but couldn't utter any words. Remembering what had happened horrified her, and she didn't want to risk it again.

"I wouldn't blame you for being afraid to speak to me," the older teen said solemnly. He stood up and held out his hand. "I'm sorry for before. I promise that I will not hurt you, ever again." His eyes were gentle and sincere, making her wonder if he really was sorry. "All those things I said to you...They were so hurtful and mean. Please forgive me."

"Souta?" she asked in confusion, then looked down at the ground. "I can't forgive you," she answered, tears of anger falling from her eyes. "I'll never forgive you for that."

The pain in Souta's eyes were obvious, but he didn't overreact and instead sat down beside her. "I understand...If you cannot forgive me. However, that changes nothing between us. I am still going to protect you."

"Souta? Are you still planning to build that stupid kingdom? What's wrong with you?"

Souta smiled in amusement and patted her on the head. "You say that now...But soon you'll be thanking me." He stood up and grabbed her by the arm, his grip too strong for her to break from. "You are my sister. You cannot ever escape me. So, why don't you forget about it and deal with the reality. You are mine and you aren't going to get away." Kagome stared into her brother's eyes, horror reflecting in her own. "It doesn't matter how many times you run away. I'll find you each time and bring you back to my side."

"What...are you?" she asked, stepping back. "Why are you doing this?" _What's wrong with him...? He's changed a little...but it's no better than before. What is he thinking?_

"Don't be scared," he snickered. "You'll be fine...But the only happiness you'll ever find is the happiness I give you."

"Why do you have to give her happiness?" Mukotsu asked as he climbed out of the pile of barrels he'd been thrown into.

"So you finally woke up did you? My reasons are my own and I don't need to ask you, a mere servant of mine, for permission to do what I want."

"Sorry Lord Souta..."

Souta crossed his arms and smiled wickedly. "They're here," he laughed. "Kagome...Would you like to see your beloved one last time? I wonder what he'll have to say to you..."

-------------------------------

The Inuyasha group and the Shichinintai stood outside the same cabin where Kagome was being held, the two leading males both fuming in anger. "I know you're in there Souta! Come out and bring Kagome with you!" the half demon screamed angrily at the cabin. The door opened slowly, and Souta walked out with a smirk on his face.

"Hello Inuyasha. It's nice to see you...however, I wish to talk with Bankotsu..." Souta said in an eerie voice.

"Where's Kagome? Tell me where she is!" The Shichinintai leader hissed angrily.

"Calm down. She's right here." Souta stepped aside and outside of the cabin came Mukotsu, Renkotsu, and Kagome. "You see? Safe as ever..."

"Bankotsu!" Kagome cried in horror. "Help me!"

Bankotsu wanted to run to her, but he knew he couldn't. Without his Banryuu he didn't stand a chance.

"Don't worry about her," Kagome's brother snickered. "You should worry about yourself. After all...You're the one who wants to kill her."

Bankotsu felt something pulse in his throat, and then a darkness fill his heart. _What is this feeling? It's so familiar...like..._ He brought his hand to his throat and felt the jewel shards in his neck pulsing, sending waves of strength throughout his body. _Kagome..._ "You're right," he laughed, rubbing his forehead. "That girls caused me so much trouble and confusion. She's better off dead." The Shichinintai leader looked up at Souta and smiled. "I'll do whatever you ask of me, Master." _I'm sorry Kagome..._

"No..." Kagome whispered to herself. "Don't do it..Don't let it take over..." She didn't want to believe it, but she knew it was true. Bankotsu was no longer the same young man she'd loved before, but was now being controlled by her brother. The once pure shard in his throat had been tainted again, leaving him with no more pleasant thoughts of love. "Bankotsu!"

"What the hell did you do to him?" asked an angry Inuyasha.

"I needed someone to take care of her...Someone reliable. So I purified one of his shards, making him kind enough to protect her. However, he ended up falling in love," answered Souta. "But now he's under my control." Souta pointed his finger at the Shichinintai leader and the beloved Banryuu appeared before him. "Take your halberd and destroy the woman you love."

"No!" Kagome cried as Mukotsu threw her forward. "Bankotsu, don't do it! Please...wake up!"

"Lord Souta, I don't love her...I hate her!" the Shichinintai leader screamed, picking up his halberd and sending of wave of light toward her. "Die priestess!"

"No you don't!" Inuyasha growled, jumping in front of the modern priestess and blocking the light wave with his own sword. "Do you know what you're doing? Wake up! You're hurting her!"

"If all goes well, I'll be killing her!"

"We have to help Inuyasha!" Miroku said to the rest of the Shichinintai and his own friends.

"I'm afraid that won't be happening," a woman laughed. Yura appeared on top of the cabin with a thousand revived demons standing restlessly behind her. "You will be fighting us."

"Kohaku," Souta laughed, looking back at the mass of his demon followers. "I see you made it."

"I did," answered the demon slayer, appearing beside his comrade. "Just in time to play." He looked at Inuyasha and his eyes flashed red. "Inuyasha, become my puppet."

"AHHHHHH!" Inuyasha screamed, his head suddenly starting to throb. The same feeling he felt earlier was being to appear again, only this time...it was taking him over. "Dammit..." he hissed, falling to his knees. _It was Kohaku...was he preparing...for this?_

"Inuyasha," Kohaku said in a dark and menacing voice. "Kill Bankotsu."

"I'll rip you him up..." Inuyasha snickered darkly. "And then...I'll tear apart the priestess."

CHAPTER END

**

* * *

**

**NEXT CHAPTER: Silent Adieu**

Kohaku and Souta both have the upper hand in the battle, but somehow Inuyasha is able to break from the spell. Unfortunately for Bankotsu, no matter how strong his will is, he can't do it alone. With Souta controlling him with the jewel shard, there's only one way to stop his rampage...but is Jakotsu willing to do it?

**

* * *

**

Yeah..the next title...and everything else...kinda says the chapter is going to be kinda sad...Anyways, I'm looking at my layout for the story and gosh...I've still got sooooo much to write. I keep adding story. Anyways, because I've got so much stuff everywhere...if I accidently leave anything or anyone out, please remind me so I can shove them back in. Yeah yeah, I know...I've still got Kouga and the Naraku peoples...Review like you always do! It makes me mucho feliz!


	19. Silent Adieu

Yeah, I'd basically like to apologize for taking so long to update. First of all, last time I tried to update, fanfiction wouldn't let me...(wonder why? It's kinda weird...) Anyways, then my life began getting pretty chaotic. You all know how that is...believe me, guys are trouble. They totally steal every bit of inspiration you have! But...that's why we love them, right? Anyways, any other problems drain you of inspration too. So, I'm sorry I've taken awhile, and things are still going weird for me. However, I will try my best to write when I can. Until then, bear with me. Plus, your reviews really do give me the click I need sometimes. Oh...and another thing. I've had some strange reviews. I stated this last chapter...I will have no real lemons/sex or anything else. Butt grabbing and chest grabbing is something else, but even that will be VERY SMALL. Since, I've found my new place with, yes I'm going to say it, GOD, and I'm trying to clean up my act. (Yeah yeah, I'm a christain girl, and I'm not afraid to say it!) Other than that,keep that in mind. I love ya'll!

**

* * *

**

Disclaimer: I do not own Inuyasha only some of the random things that I make up.

Warnings: OOC (some characters) , mild language, some more terrible scary stuff.

Key:_ thought , _"speech" **flashback **_"in head speech"_

**

* * *

**

**ReCaPrEcApReCaPrEcApReCaPrEcApReCaPrEcApReCaPrEcApReCaP**

**LAST TIME... **

"Kohaku," Souta laughed, looking back at the mass of his demon followers. "I see you made it."

"I did," answered the demon slayer, appearing beside his comrade. "Just in time to play." He looked at Inuyasha and his eyes flashed red. "Inuyasha, become my puppet."

"AHHHHHH!" Inuyasha screamed, his head suddenly starting to throb. The same feeling he felt earlier was being to appear again, only this time...it was taking him over. "Dammit..." he hissed, falling to his knees. _It was Kohaku...was he preparing...for this?_

"Inuyasha," Kohaku said in a dark and menacing voice. "Kill Bankotsu."

"I'll rip you him up..." Inuyasha snickered darkly. "And then...I'll tear apart the priestess."

**ReCaPrEcApReCaPrEcApReCaPrEcApReCaPrEcApReCaPrEcApReCaP**

**

* * *

**

Catch you Catch Kagome

**CHAPTER NINETEEN: Silent Adieu**

"Souta! Don't do this!" Kagome cried, pleading her brother to stop the chaos.

"Shut up and watch the battle," Souta hissed, ignoring his sisters cry. _You'll only have to suffer for awhile. They're only using you...this'll do you fine. I'll prove that they were only using you. I'll prove that they don't love you._

"Die Bankotsu!" Inuyasha yelled, charging toward the Shichinintai leader. "WIND SCAR!"

"Nice try!" Bankotsu laughed, knocking the attack away with Banryuu. "You'll have to do better than that!" The two charged toward each other, clashing their weapons together repeatedly. The modern priestess watched in horror as the two men she loved most, tore at one another's throats for the honor of killing her. Her heart was breaking even though she knew they were only being controlled. But if they really loved her, wouldn't they be able to break from the spells? Could Souta be right? Did Bankotsu really love her? A tear fell down her cheek, startling her a bit. She cared so much for Bankotsu...above anyone else.

"I'm worried that Inuyasha will break from the spell," Kohaku said softly to Souta, yet it was loud enough that Kagome could hear it. "What about Bankotsu?"

"He's fine. He really does hate her. As long as his shards are all tainted, he has only hate for her. As soon as one is purified, he'll love her again. It's how I made it to be."

"What...?" the raven haired girl said to herself, more tears falling from her eyes. _Only half of Bankotsu loves me...The fake half?_ Kagome tore her arms out of Mukotsu's grip and feel to the ground. _You don't love me...?_ She really did love Bankotsu more than Inuyasha. She could live without Inuyasha not loving her...but, hearing that Bankotsu didn't mean everything he'd said...it tore her apart. She couldn't stand the pain. "It's not fair," she sobbed slightly. "Why do you have to do this to me?" _Why Souta...Why did you have to give me someone like Bankotsu and then take him away...? Why...? I love him so much...if I can't be with him...I want to make him happy._

"Don't cry," Souta said in a cold voice, looking down at the crying girl in the grass. "I'm doing this for you."

"Why?" she cried angrily, "Why did you have to do that?"

Souta smiled, no longer feeling any remorse for the pain he was putting his older sister through. "I needed to make sure you'd be safe in my absence. I purified his shard so that he'd protect you and bring you to me. I didn't tell his newly good heart to fall in love with you. He did that on his own. But fear not...It'll all be over soon."

"Why is Bankotsu so weak?" Mukotsu asked his new lord suddenly, earning a glare from Renkotsu.

"This has nothing to do with Bankotsu being weak. It has to do with his will. As long as he is in his original state, he won't go against me until he kills Inuyasha and Kagome. He's doing this of his own free will."

Inuyasha and Bankotsu continued to fight against each other, both unable to weaken the other, yet doing the same amount of damage. It looked like they'd continue fighting until someone slipped and met their demise. The other members of Inuyasha's group and the remaining Shichinintai also had their hands full with Yura and her hoard of demons.

"There are to many!" Miroku exclaimed as he attempted to take out two demons with his staff. As he was swinging, he slipped on a tiny pebble and fell to the ground. The demons took no time to wait and attacked the monk as soon as they could. Just when the perverted monk thought it was over, something sliced the demons into pieces, saving him from certain death. "Thanks Sang..." Miroku looked up at his savior and frowned, seeing that it was Jakotsu.

"No problem cutie!" the gay Shichinintai member giggled, smiling at the monk in a suggestive way. "I'll save your butt anytime."

"S-sango!" the monk screamed in horror, standing up and racing to the demon slayer who was battling the demons with the tiny fox beside her.

"Miroku? Are you all right?" she asked, sounding slightly concerned. "I think he likes you."

"Haha, very funny Sango."

"I'd be careful not to make him mad!" Shippo warned the monk, grinning evilly. "Fox fire!" Kirara was assisting Kyoukotsu and Ginkotsu. The giant cat had grown to like the giant Shichinintai member, and the two got along quite nicely. Of course, nothing could replace Sango.

"If we take out all these demons, we can help Inu-chan and Bankotsu!" Jakotsu announced, gripping his Jakotsutou and grinning at the hair demon standing a top the cabin. "So, hurry it up!"

While the others were getting rid of the demons, Inuyasha and Bankotsu continued fighting. But as they fought, something strange started to happen to the half demon. "WIND SCAR!" he exclaimed, shooting another powerful attack at his foe, only to have it blocked again. "Damn!" _Why am I fighting Bankotsu...? Is it for Kagome?_ "Why don't you stop defending and show me what you're made of?" he asked, trying to taunt the Shichinintai leader._ I want to kill Kagome? That's not right!_ The half demon looked over at Souta and Kohaku and noticed his beloved priestess on the ground crying. It was then that he broke the spell.

"Don't let your guard down!" the Shichinintai leader yelled, swinging his Banryuu at Inuyasha and cutting his arm.

"Gah!" the half demon cried in pain, stumbling back onto the ground. He had finally regained his mind, but was now too weak to move. "Dammit...Kagome..."

"Is that what you want?" the possessed teen asked, looking over at the weeping woman. "Why don't I kill her first. Then it'll hurt you twice as much!"

"No, Kagome!"

-------------------

"What's this feeling?" Kouga asked himself as he led his group of wolves through his mountains, searching for something to eat. He was the only human looking wolf demon in the small group, and the usual duo that followed him around were back in their cave sleeping. The pack had missed their leader, and were so happy he'd returned that they all instantly fell asleep. Kouga could see that they'd all been worried about him and hadn't slept for awhile. "Why do I have this feeling that something's going to happen to Kagome. Those two stupid idiots had better take care of her."

The wolf demon tried to ignore the feeling nagging in his mind. It wasn't any of his business unless she called for him. After all, she didn't need him at all. She had both Inuyasha and the clay man. He knew though, that those two didn't love her like he did. He loved her so much, he was willing to leave her alone if it made her happy. So many men were after her heart, and someone needed to lose. It just so happened that he was the loser.

**"I know you have that half demon and that clay man...but...I love you too."**

**"Kouga..."**

**"Is there any way I can make you fall in love with me too? Do I have a chance?"**

**Kagome looked up at Kouga and saw the sadness in his eyes. "I'm sorry Kouga...I like you, yes...but as a friend."**

He remembered the conversation he had with her like it'd happened minutes ago. There was no way he could change her heart, and he was willing to deal with that.

"You have them," he told himself again. His sudden change in moods worried his fellow wolf demons, and they circled him quickly in an attempt to cheer him up. He smiled at their worried faces and their sad eyes. "Don't worry guys."

Kouga began walking again, but then a new feeling stirred inside his heart. It instantly sent him into panic, and he was unable to ignore it. He had a terrible feeling that something horrible was about to happen to her. "Dammit all!" he yelled, looking around in an attempt to pick up the young priestess's scent. "I don't care if she doesn't need me, I'm going to her anyways!" He looked down at his wolves and smiled at them. "Tell the pack I'll be back again soon." Without another word, he rushed off toward Kagome's scent, hoping to reach her in time.

--------------

As Bankotsu approached the crying priestess, Souta, Kohaku, Renkotsu and Mukotsu all quickly moved away, giving the killer enough space to do what he pleased. He hovered above the young girl with a cruel expression on his face, and a dark twinkle in his eye. "Kagome," he said in a dark tone, making her shiver in fear.

"Bankotsu!" she cried, jumping up and hugging him around the waist, ignoring her fear of him. "Please, come to your senses! I love you!"

"Funny," he laughed, still sounding cold. "I don't love you."

Inuyasha watched in horror as the Shichinintai leader continued to break the raven haired girl's heart. The pain in Kagome's chocolate eyes made Inuyasha also fell her pain. He wanted to kill the Shichinintai leader, but he knew that it would only cause her more grief. The only way to stop her from hurting, was for Bankotsu to love her again. Even though Inuyasha hated the idea of it, he wished that it would happen.

Kagome released Bankotsu and stepped back in horror. "It's true then..." she whispered to herself. "You didn't really love me."

"Can say I really do...or did."

"We've been through so much...and my heart finally chose you."

"That's too bad."

"Bankotsu," she asked softly, looking into his blue eyes with her own chocolate eyes filled with a sad love. "If the real you would be happy killing me. Then, do it."

Bankotsu gripped his Banryuu and smirked at her. "Stupid girl. Throwing your life away for nothing. You're nothing but an inconvenience to me." As the Shichinintai leader lifted his sword and swung it at the modern priestess before him, everyone stopped what they were doing and watched the tragedy occur before their very eyes. The halberd tore into her flesh, leaving a deep wound in her chest. The raven haired girl silently fell the ground lifelessly, tears falling down her cheeks.

"Bankotsu..." she mumbled before passing out. _I'm glad I could make you happy..._

Bankotsu thrust his halberd into the ground and glared at it. "I missed..." he complained. "How the hell did I miss?" He stared at the weapon, as if waiting for an answer and then shook his head. _She's not dead...I'll do it with my hands if I have to._ The Banryuu began glowing in an attempt to tell it's master to save Kagome but was only ignored. The Shichinintai leader walked over to the fainted girl and smiled at her bloody form.

"No...Kagome!" Inuyasha screamed, trying with all his might to stand up. No matter how hard he tried, he was unable to lift himself, let alone stop Bankotsu.

"Kill her," Souta ordered. "I promised I wouldn't harm her. You; however, can do whatever you please."

Bankotsu bent down and was about to take hold of her neck when a voice stopped him from doing so. "Brother Bankotsu!" Jakotsu yelled, tears forming in his eyes. "What the hell are you doing? If you kill her...I'll NEVER forgive you!"

The Shichinintai leader stood up and frowned at his best friend. "Screw you. Why should I keep this wretch alive?" He watched with confidence as the gay Shichinintai member made his was toward him.

"Because...even if you hate her now...You'll love her again. You'll love her like we all do." Jakotsu shook his head of the tears and glared at his leader. "To save her in your place...I need to stop you. Kyoukotsu, Ginkotsu. Help me...We're going to...take his shards."

"You're going to take my shards?" Bankotsu asked in amusement, almost laughing as he watched the other two Shichinintai members surround him. "This'll be fun. So many people betraying me at once."

"This is incredibly boring," Souta spat out, shaking his head. The battle with the demons and the remaining party had come to a stop, and Bankotsu was being kept from killing the young girl. "It seems you've all done enough damage that I won't need to kill her after all. I can do whatever I want with her now," Souta laughed. "I'll be hiding her scent so that nobody will find her. Thanks for all your help."

"Don't you dare leave you coward!" Inuyasha screamed from his place on the ground.

"Inuyasha," Souta hissed back. "I don't think you're in any position to tell me what I can and cannot do." The young teen walked over to his wounded sister and lifted her fragile body into his strong arms. "Yura, Mukotsu, Renkotsu...and Kohaku, we're leaving." Sango and Miroku both rushed toward the teen, but were unable to stop him from departing. Before they had a chance to reach him, he was already flying away on top of a feather with Kohaku and his fellow followers. Kohaku was slightly surprised to find that Kagura was the one controlling the feather, meaning that Souta had decided to use the Naraku demons after all.

Jakotsu knew they wouldn't be able to reach Kagome with an evil Bankotsu, and decided that he had to stop Bankotsu first. "Attack!" As he and the other two Shichinintai members rushed toward Bankotsu, a soft and gentle voice interrupted their battle calls.

"Bankotsu!" Kagome cried from Souta's arms. Bankotsu instantly gripped his head and feel to his knees, startling the people watching him.

"Kagome..." he muttered, his face hidden from sight. "What have I done...?" Jakotsu smiled softly and also feel to his knees, relieved that his leader and best friend had finally come to his senses. "Kagome..."

"Where's Kagome?" a familiar voice asked loudly. Sango and Miroku turned to find Kouga rushing toward them. "Am I too late? I lost Kagome's scent!"

"I'm afraid so..." Jakotsu said sadly, standing up slowly.

"Inuyasha! What the hell's wrong with you?" the wolf demon hissed, looking at the wounded mutt.

"Shut up!" the half demon hissed back.

"It's not his fault," a sad and defeated voice said, catching everyone's attention. They all turned their heads to Bankotsu and watched him climb to his feet, still hiding his face from view. "It's mine."

"You mean you just let them take her?" the wolf demon asked, growling underneath his breath. He felt like punching the Shichinintai leader as hard as he could, but that feeling went away when he caught a glimpse of Bankotsu's tear stained face. To Kouga, the fact that Bankotsu was crying and not hiding his tears, showed that he really did care for the modern priestess, as much as himself.

"What the hell's wrong with me?" Bankotsu asked himself. "What the hell have I done...Why is this happening to us?"

Everyone kept silent and listened as the Shichinintai leader beat on himself with cold and cruel words. They knew that there was nothing they could do...they had all lost to Souta and Kohaku. They knew that they may never see Kagome again and because of that, they wouldn't be unable to cheer up the Shichinintai leader. Bankotsu continued screaming at himself, until he became to weak to stand, and collapsed to the ground. Jakotsu had never seen his leader so defeated in his life. Bankotsu was broken.

---------------

Kagome sat quietly in a dark room with Souta sitting before her. Silent tears fell down her cheeks and she stared at her brother in both sadness and hate. She knew she couldn't do anything. The wound hurt her to much and the wound in her heart had left her almost immobile.

"Don't cry my sister," Souta said tenderly, his eyes glowing red in the darkness. "I can make all of your pain go away...All you need to do is ask."

"Souta..." _If I let you do this to me...I'll never have to think about Bankotsu again. I'll never have to feel this way again. All the pain will go away. You were right...he never loved me. You're happiness may be the only happiness for me...I don't.._ "I don't want to feel this way..." she said softly. She fell forward and felt her brother embrace her lovingly. "Please...make it better. Make it stop hurting..."

"Sister..." Souta stared down at Kagome in satisfaction. The wound given to her by Bankotsu was tearing her heart apart, which meant she'd do anything to make her despair leave. "If this is what you want..." he told her, his voice still loving despite the evil inside it. He placed his hand over her forehead and closed his eyes.

"Thank you," she mumbled softly, also closing her eyes. She could feel the pain in her chest slowly vanish, along with all her memories of the world she was in and the world she'd come from. She knew that this was the last time she'd love the Shichinintai leader...and the last time she'd remember his face. _Goodbye...Bankotsu. _

CHAPTER END

**

* * *

**

**NEXT CHAPTER: Loving a Lie**

Kagome is now the lady of Souta's new castle located in an unknown part of feudal Japan. Knowing that Inuyasha and Bankotsu will never be able to find her, he lets his sister do as she pleases around the castle and the town he has taken over. As Kagome tries to find her place in her new environment, she stumbles across Suikotsu. Souta decides to give his sister to the ex-Shichinintai member, and Suikotsu is more than happy that he can protect her himself. However, things change when she reveals her feelings for him, and Suikotsu begins to wonder if they're only fake.

**

* * *

**

That...was really kinda sad. Yeah, I know we've seen it so many times before. The girl wants to make the guy happy, so she lets him kill her. But you gotta admit, for something so common, it really does pack a punch! So the truth about Bankotsu is completely revealed and the rest is up to his fake half! Or is it really fake...? Anyways, I know I've turned Kagome into a pansy...but I promise by the end she'll be fighting more, kicking some butt! But at the moment...I can't see what she could actually do. Since she doesn't have any weapons, and she wouldn't try and kill her brother. Oh well...justreview and I'll feed you some more story as soon as I can.


	20. Loving a Lie

Dear readers, you guys all think alike...It's really scary. Due to the demand to cancel out Kagome's pansy-ness, the story will take an unexpected jump from how I had planned. It's now going to get even crazier, but since everyone likes crazy...It's all cool! I'm glad everyone likes the story. And also, I'm sorry that it's still taking me forever to update. Life's going easier now, and I'm finally getting that inspiration I need! BTW, I love you guys! You're so sweet and wonderfully nice to me! Good luck on you all!

ANSWERED QUESTIONS

1. Why are you making it an Kagome x Suikotsu?

_Dude! I'm not really! Well, okay I am. See, the title, Catch you Catch Kagome, implies not just the fact that EVERYONE is trying to capture her, but also the fact that most of the men in the story are after her heart. See? And since I've stated this is a Ban x Kag story, don't worry, they will get together. So don't worry so much...lol_

Oops. Looks like that's the only question...Hmmm...Feel free to send more!

**

* * *

**

Disclaimer: I do not own Inuyasha only some of the random things that I make up.

Warnings: OOC (some characters)

Key:_ thought , _"speech" **flashback **_"in head speech"_

**

* * *

**

**ReCaPrEcApReCaPrEcApReCaPrEcApReCaPrEcApReCaPrEcApReCaP**

**LAST TIME... **

Kagome sat quietly in a dark room with Souta sitting before her. Silent tears fell down her cheeks and she stared at her brother in both sadness and hate. She knew she couldn't do anything. The wound hurt her to much and the wound in her heart had left her almost immobile.

"Don't cry my sister," Souta said tenderly, his eyes glowing red in the darkness. "I can make all of your pain go away...All you need to do is ask."

"Souta..." _If I let you do this to me...I'll never have to think about Bankotsu again. I'll never have to feel this way again. All the pain will go away. You were right...he never loved me. You're happiness may be the only happiness for me...I don't.._ "I don't want to feel this way..." she said softly. She fell forward and felt her brother embrace her lovingly. "Please...make it better. Make it stop hurting..."

"Sister..." Souta stared down at Kagome in satisfaction. The wound given to her by Bankotsu was tearing her heart apart, which meant she'd do anything to make her despair leave. "If this is what you want..." he told her, his voice still loving despite the evil inside it. He placed his hand over her forehead and closed his eyes.

"Thank you," she mumbled softly, also closing her eyes. She could feel the pain in her chest slowly vanish, along with all her memories of the world she was in and the world she'd come from. She knew that this was the last time she'd love the Shichinintai leader...and the last time she'd remember his face. _Goodbye...Bankotsu. _

**ReCaPrEcApReCaPrEcApReCaPrEcApReCaPrEcApReCaPrEcApReCaP**

**

* * *

**

Catch you Catch Kagome

**CHAPTER TWENTY: Loving a Lie**

"Sun...light," Kagome mumbled to herself as she felt a bright light shining upon her. She opened her eyes and found herself in a elegant bedroom, decorated with red silk cloth and golden paint, and dressed in a soft robe. As she sat up, a shock of pain shot through her body, making her fall back down into the silk covers. "It...hurts..." she moaned, twisting her body in pain.

"You're awake," a soft and relieved voice said. The voice made her panic, for what reason she did not know, and it bothered her greatly. "I'm glad you're okay." She turned her head and found a young man sitting by her bed with a peaceful smile on his face. He was familiar to her, but she didn't know where she knew him from.

Kagome carefully brought her hand to her forehead and felt it. _What's this feeling...why is my body filled with such fear?_ "Who are you?" she asked, the fear she was feeling undetectable in her voice.

"Your brother, Souta. And you...are Kagome," Souta replied, still smiling. _My dear sister...All your memories have been completely erased...I will give you new ones. _

"My brother?" she asked, looking up at him with teary eyes. "What happened to me? Why do I hurt so much?" _I don't remember anything... "Get away from him," _a voice in her head said suddenly. _"Though your mind does not remember...your body remembers. He cannot erase the memories deep inside your heart." _Kagome decided to ignore the voice inside her head. She didn't understand it, and it probably wasn't important. It appeared that this man, who called himself her brother, had saved her. If anything, she owed him her life. The fear she'd been feeling slowly dissolved, and she found herself crying in his arms.

"Everything's okay now," he soothed, holding her close to his chest. "You're going to be just fine."

"I can't remember anything...What happened to me?"

"I don't think you're ready to know the truth."

"Please tell me...I'm so confused."

Souta smiled evilly, knowing his face was hidden from her view. _You want the truth...I'll give you my truth. I'm going to give you my happiness...you'll be in my paradise. _"You were attacked and almost killed by your sweetheart. In the process of his abuse, you lost your memory. I found you just in time. Don't worry...he's dead now."

"I see..." she said, pulling away and drying her tears. _That explains the pain in my chest...and the fear. I was afraid I'd be hurt again...That's it. _"Thank you brother. Where am I?"

"You're in our castle...You're the lady of my Kingdom." Souta stood up and looked down at his sister. "Your wounds have healed. Someone will be here in a minute to clothe you. You may then wander the castle if you wish." He turned to leave, but was stopped by her small hands.

"What do you mean my wounds are healed?" she asked in confusion. "My chest...it hurts..."

"What?" the older teen asked, looking at her in discomfort. "Look for yourself...There are no wounds." _Her pain should be gone now...Could the loss of Bankotsu really be that deep? Maybe I'll have to find someone to take his place... _"I need to go now. If you need me again, I'll make time to see you as soon as possible." He took a quick bow and then left the room, leaving her to think about her new life.

"No wounds," she told herself once he shut the door. Slowly she opened the robe and looked down at her bare chest to find it untouched as before, not a wound or scar in sight. As she closed it, she tried to figure out why she felt to depressed and lonely. There was a deep and empty feeling inside her body, making her want to sink into the bed and fade away. The feeling was terrible and she couldn't understand why she hurt so much.

"Souta...he told me I was betrayed by my sweetheart," the modern priestess whispered to herself. _Maybe...I still miss him. My love. I don't remember him, but I'm sure he wouldn't just beat me up. I'm sure he had a reason to do what he did...Was it me? Did I do something? _Now feeling a bit better, but still lonely, she tried to imagine what her lover looked like. The man she pictured; however, was nothing like the man she'd been in love with. He was tall with shining armor, short hair and beautiful brown eyes. But in the truth, the man she had was much better looking than the one she'd thought up.

"My brother has given me a new life! I should be thankful and stop thinking about a jerk like...whoever he was...Maybe...I should look around the castle.."

---------------------

Souta paced around his dark quarters, hidden deep within the castle, in disarray. He was sure that he'd gotten rid of his sisters memories, and couldn't figure out why she still suffered. The fact that he couldn't calm her heart upset him greatly, and he didn't know how to take out the anger and frustration that was building up inside him.

Kohaku however, sat in a comfortable chair and watched his partner with amusement. The sight of Souta pacing around and mumbling strange things was quite amusing, however, it was obvious that if the problem was left unsolved, Souta might lose his mind again. "Everything will work out," the young demon slayer said leisurely, leaning back in the chair. "Calm down, unwind...or something."

"Easy for you to say," Souta snapped back and began punching the wall repeatedly with his fist until it and the wall was stained with his blood.

"Why don't you go play with one of your girls?" Kohaku suggested. "I'm sure they're all bored. After all, you haven't given anyone any orders. In fact..."

"What is it?" the teen asked, turning to his lazy partner. He could tell something was up and he wanted to know what it was immediately.

"The other day...Rani asked me something. I was surprised at first..." Kohaku paused to see if he had his friends attention, and smiled when he found he did. "I gave into her request...Why don't you look at her yourself. Rani...come in."

Souta looked at the door when it opened and watched in awe as a lovely young woman walked in. Rani was not the same little girl she had been, she looked nothing like it anymore. She was tall and well shaped, her hair was long and silky. Her eyes shined with joy, and she wore a tight black kimono. In three words, she was beautiful. "Hello Master Souta," she said softly, bowing respectively.

"What do you think?" the demon slayer asked curiously. "Isn't she lovely? She's also quite strong...now very useful."

"Rani," Souta spoke softly, still in awe. "You look nice."

"Thanks Master Souta," she giggled. Though she was older, she still had the pleasant and pure aura about her. "I wanted to make you happy."

"That's when I take my leave," Kohaku laughed, jumping out of the chair. "Enjoy." He left the two teens in the dark room as he walked off to his own room, a couple doors away. Once he's left, Souta turned toward the young woman and leered at her.

"Why would you wish to become older?" he asked, curiously.

"To be more useful to you..."

"Is that all?" he asked, stepping toward her slowly. She nodded, somewhat worried by his tone, but stayed where she stood. "You don't have to lie," he said. "You can tell me the truth."

"I wanted...you to notice me," she answered, looking away.

"I did...and I do."

------------------------

"Lady Kagome," a familiar voice asked, as a woman dressed in a kimono entered the room. Kagome knew the voice, she just didn't remember where. "I'm Kagura. Lord Souta asked me to care for you."

"I see," the young priestess replied, smiling. "But I don't need caring for."

"The Master insists." Kagura entered to room, carrying with her a bundle of clothes. "I bathed you this morning...and here is your outfit." The wind demon set the clothes beside the priestess and then backed up slowly. "Would you like something to eat?" _I can't believe that bastard has got me doing a servants work..._

"Yes please," Kagome answered, picking up the fabric and eyeing it. She quickly changed out of the robe and into the clothes given to her by her brother and was surprised to find it was a blue and black priestess outfit..

"Lord Souta wishes to make you into a dark priestess. I'm sure you'll be able to meet his expectations."

"Thank you."

"What would you like to eat?"

"I don't care...Anything simple."

"Very well," Kagura replied, taking a bow. "Please stay here while I retrieve your breakfast." The demon turned to leave, but an idea struck her mind. "Kagome...Do you...Did you really forget everything?"

"Excuse me?" Kagome was slightly surprised. This woman seemed to know her from before. _How many people know about me...How many people know the past I've forgotten?_ "Do you know?" she asked hopefully, standing up quickly. "Do you know who I was in love with?"

Kagura was silent. She knew she couldn't tell the priestess anything...not without losing her life. "Why do you wish to seek the past?" the demon asked. "You've been given a new future. Even if it is a fake one...it's better than the one before."

"I don't know what happened in my past," the raven haired girl said sadly, lowering her head. "And this life probably is better than the one I had before...But this life is fake...and I want the truth."

"Even if it tears you apart?" Kagura asked curiously, knowing she shouldn't be talking to Kagome this way. She shouldn't have brought any of it up. "If you were to learn the truth...you'd never forgive him. You'd never be able to look at him, and without a doubt, it'd cause him great pain."

"Who?"

"I can't tell you anymore...I've already said far too much. Whatever you do, don't tell Souta I talked to you. It'll be our little secret." Kagura left and returned a minute later with a bowl full of rice. "Kagome," she said softly, closing the door behind her. "Souta has given me charge of you. At first, I thought it'd be horrible...but I think we'll get along quite nicely."

"Me too Kagura," Kagome laughed, taking the rice from her and eyeing it hungrily. "You're pretty neat. I'm sure you'll watch out for me too...right?"

"Whatever you say."

------------------

After breakfast, Kagome was feeling a lot better, and decided to take her own tour of the castle. After being warned to stay away from strange demons by Kagura, she left for her adventure. Outside her room was amazing enough,it made her own room look like a fraction of the castles beauty. Despite the buildings slightly dark element, it was silver and red...breath taking. Kagome couldn't believe she lived here now! She walked down the hall in awe, staring at all the lovely pictures that reminded her of places she'd never been.

As she walked, she failed to notice a strange man approaching her. "Hello Kagome," the small man laughed, a wicked grin on his face. "That's a nice outfit you've got."

"Oh?" Kagome asked, looking at him in surprise. "Thank you sir."

"Don't you sir me!" Mukotsu hissed, now becoming angry. "A little twit like you..."

"I'm sorry!" she exclaimed, stepping back. "Did I do something wrong?"

"Not yet," Mukotsu sneered. "Just don't scream." The young priestess tried turned to run, but as she did, the poison master grabbed hold of her arm. "You're not going anywhere!"

"Let me go!" she cried, trying to free herself from his grip. _Somebody save me! Help me- _"Ba-!" Kagome tried to scream a name, but she couldn't make the letters form in her head. All she was able to say was "Ba"...Who was Ba? Was he her old lover?

"Let her go," an irritated voice hissed from behind Mukotsu. The poison master, instantly recognizing the voice, released the girl and turned around abruptly.

"Who are you to tell me what do you Suikotsu?" he hissed.

"I have a higher command than you idiot. Besides, she doesn't remember anything. Just leave her alone," the doctor demanded, shooting his comrade a chilling glare.

"Fine." Mukotsu walked away quickly, mumbling to himself about Kagome and Suikotsu.

"Thank you very much sir!" Kagome exclaimed, bowing in respect.

"You shouldn't be showing me respect," the tall man laughed, patting her on the head. "You're such a sweet girl. Would you like me to show you around the castle?"

"Yes please," the modern priestess replied, smiling. She now felt safe, and she didn't want this man to disappear, and unknown to her, he felt the same way. So the two walked around the castle, talking and bonding, both extremely happy and filled with joy. Suikotsu was just glad that he could finally protect her.

-----------------------

Rani stood in her master's chamber in silence, thinking about what he'd said. "You noticed me...?" she finally asked after a few moments.

"Of course," he laughed, holding out his arms to her. She obediently went to him, and smiled as he embraced her. "I only wish I knew how you'd felt early. You'd do all of this to yourself, just to be by me."

"Oh Souta..."

"Hush...What do you want most? I'll give you anything."

"Lord Souta...I want your love. I want to be your woman."

"Done," he whispered into her ear before kissing her softly on the neck. "Let me make you mine."

Unknown to the both of them, Yura was outside the door, listening to the entire conversation. She pulled away from the door and leaned against it. "Lord Souta," she said longingly, touching the place where her heart was. "You're heart is already taken." She looked down at the ground sadly and then started walking away. _It was you who found my skull and revived me, you who nursed me back to heath. I was the one you came to for comfort when you were still a child. I fell in love with you, I gave you my life and my strength. All I really ever wanted was to be with you. You are what I live for now. You are my life._ "Has your heart really been filled with her love? Or did you never think of me as anything but your servant?" She continued walking down the hall in sadness, feeling extremely lonely. In the whole castle, of all the demons, she didn't know any of them. Her only friend and companion had been Souta, and now that he had himself a new woman, he wouldn't need her again, ever. She was alone now.

----------------

It was almost dark when Suikotsu returned the young priestess to her room. As soon as they reached her door, they found Souta waiting for them there. "Lord Souta," Suikotsu said in surprise, shocked that his lord was there before him. "Is something wrong?"

"No," Souta laughed, staring at the two before him. "Suikotsu, are you happy?"

"Yes sir."

"Brother," Kagome said softly, "who is this man?"

Souta looked at his sister with a pleased smile, yet it was dark. "This man is Suikotsu. Your guardian. The one who saved you from your old and evil lover."

"I see," the raven haired girl said in awe. "Thank you Suikotsu. I owe my life to you."

She quickly looked at the two men and smiled. "I feel much better now Brother. Good Night Suikotsu." She turned to Souta and gave him a warm hug around the waist. "Good Night Brother." When she disappeared into her room and shut her door, Souta shot the Shichinintai member a twisted smile.

"You love her," he mocked.

"You yourself seem to be in love. It looks like you've been busy."

"Oh?" Souta asked innocently, looking at his slightly messy appearance. "I suppose I was entertained. Women are quite amusing, they'll do anything for love."

"...Whatever."

"Suikotsu, because I see that you love my sister very much. You can have her. Treat her well and guard her when I'm not around. If she is to come to any harm...I'll destroy you."

"My Lord?"

"Yes?" Souta was just about to leave, but he looked back at the doctor anyways.

"Thank you."

-------------------

For an entire week, the couple hung out together, never leaving the others side unless it was to sleep. Kagome was quite attached to Suikotsu, and he had no problem with the priestess wanting to constantly be with him. Suikotsu thought that things were going perfect, he thought this was what he wanted...until one day, he realized that he wasn't happy at all. Souta had tried to make the couple happy, but only ended up in making everything worse. He ending up making Suikotsu suffer even more.

The couple were sitting outside the castle in a field of soft grass, watching the sunset, and counting the stars as they appeared. "I've counted 253. I can't count anymore!" Kagome exclaimed, falling back on the grass and moaning.

"How weak," the Shichinintai teased. "I counted 5837."

"Are you serious?" she asked, rolling over to stare at him.

"Of course not," he replied, pulling her up and leaning her head against his shoulder. "You look tired. Should I take you to your room?"

"No," she replied softly. "I'm not ready to go. Actually...Suikotsu. I wanted to talk to you." She sat up straight and stared at the night sky again. "It's only been a week...and I still don't remember anything about my past. It's all a blur, but then strange things come to me...I can't remember what they are, are why they matter...Souta tells me that you are the one who saved me from my lover. The one who tried to kill me. I guess that means I've known you awhile."

"About as long as you knew him," Suikotsu replied.

"Which is why...I think it's okay."

"What's okay?"

"Suikotsu...I'm in love with you."

The Shichinintai member felt his heart stop when he heard her words. "What...?" he asked in shock.

"The time that I've spent with you, I have this feeling. I love it so much, and whenever you're around you make me feel the most complete. I really do love you."

Suikotsu was speechless. _Isn't this what I wanted? _He asked himself. _I wanted her to love me...But...Bankotsu..._ "I love you too, Kagome."

"You do? Yay!" she giggled, hugging him around the neck.

"You'd better get to bed. Can you go back alone? I need to think for awhile..."

"Sure," she laughed happily, standing up and brushing the grass from her outfit. "See you tomorrow!"

He watched her run off toward the castle, and once she entered, he fell back into the soft grass and let out a sigh. "She loves me...?" he asked himself. "Is that possible...? After all I've done to her...is it fair? Does she really love me or is it one of Souta's tricks?" He closed his eyes and felt sadness fill his body. "I don't want this...I don't want her to love me, because she loves Bankotsu. I won't let Souta get away with this."

CHAPTER END

**

* * *

**

**NEXT CHAPTER: Bittersweet Dream**

Suikotsu confronts Souta only to have his suffering deepen. He hopes that he can make it go away in time, and decides to returns Kagome's strange love. But the with the way things are going...can he really be happy?

**

* * *

**

Look forward to next chapter, were Kagome becomes less pansy-ish! Yay! Review too, cuz I love you!


	21. Bittersweet Dream

Acutally...I've gotta say. Of all the chapters...This is totally my favorite. So, here in this chapter, everyone gets what they've been asking for. Thanks for the reviews and all the nice things you say, you guys totally make my fanfiction life brighter! Enjoy!

**A POLL**

I'd like to see how many female readers and male readers I have...So, if you would...put what you are for me! Contribute to my knowledge!

**ANSWERED QUESTIONS**

1. What happened to the others like is Bankotsu still sulking?Is Koga still there?ect.

Answer- _Yeah, all of that will get answered later on. Don't worry. Thanks for reminding me, I haven't forgotten. ((smiles))_

2. How strong is she compared to Sango and Kikiyo?

Answer- _Well, this won't get answered in the stories. But pretty much...Kagome will be (in the future) stronger than Sango, and just a little stronger than Kikiyo. (After all, they are the same?) _

3. Does Sesshomaru like Kagome or Sango?

Answer- _Well...Sesshomaru doesn't like anyone...'cept Rin..and himself. So, yeah...Sorry guys! And...your beautiful Sesshy won't be making anymore appearances..If he did, the story would be even longer. Lol..._

**

* * *

**

Disclaimer: I do not own Inuyasha only some of the random things that I make up.

Warnings: OOC (some characters)

Key:_ thought , _"speech" **flashback **_"in head speech"_

**

* * *

**

**ReCaPrEcApReCaPrEcApReCaPrEcApReCaPrEcApReCaPrEcApReCaP**

**LAST TIME... **

"Suikotsu...I'm in love with you."

The Shichinintai member felt his heart stop when he heard her words. "What...?" he asked in shock.

"The time that I've spent with you, I have this feeling. I love it so much, and whenever you're around you make me feel the most complete. I really do love you."

Suikotsu was speechless. _Isn't this what I wanted? _He asked himself. _I wanted her to love me...But...Bankotsu..._ "I love you too, Kagome."

"You do? Yay!" she giggled, hugging him around the neck.

"You'd better get to bed. Can you go back alone? I need to think for awhile..."

"Sure," she laughed happily, standing up and brushing the grass from her outfit. "See you tomorrow!"

He watched her run off toward the castle, and once she entered, he fell back into the soft grass and let out a sigh. "She loves me...?" he asked himself. "Is that possible...? After all I've done to her...is it fair? Does she really love me or is it one of Souta's tricks?" He closed his eyes and felt sadness fill his body. "I don't want this...I don't want her to love me, because she loves Bankotsu. I won't let Souta get away with this."

**ReCaPrEcApReCaPrEcApReCaPrEcApReCaPrEcApReCaPrEcApReCaP**

**

* * *

**

Catch you Catch Kagome

**CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE: Bittersweet Dream**

That night, Suikotsu was determined to talk to Souta about his problems with the young priestess. He walked down the castle halls swiftly, making his way to his masters room. He came to the door and was about to knock when he heard voices talking from inside. The voices belonged to both Souta and Kohaku, the duo that was dangerous when together, but he didn't care, he had some business to settle. "Souta!" he yelled, throwing open the doors and stomping in.

Souta, who was lazily sitting in his comfortable chair, looked at the angry Shichinintai member in amusement. "Is this anyway to treat your master?" he asked, smiling deviously.

"Master or not," Suikotsu replied, "I have a problem with you."

"Oh? Do tell..."

"It's with Kagome."

"Does she displease you?"

"No...She said she loved me."

"The problem is...?"

"She loves Bankotsu!"

Kohaku began laughing softly and made his way over to Souta's chair. "You shouldn't doubt your master," he snickered, sitting on the arm of the comfy chair.

"Kohaku is correct," the older teen replied, glaring at Suikotsu. "She loved Bankotsu, that is correct. However, she loves him no longer."

"You made her love me?"

"No. I would never force my sister to love someone she did not."

Suikotsu didn't understand anything that was happening, and it made his head hurt. "Explain...please," he insisted.

"I erased her memory of everyone I didn't want her to know. Because Bankotsu is gone, her feelings for you were able to surface. So, in truth she does love you...but not as much as Bankotsu. Enjoy your time with her and stop complaining."

"I see..." the Shichinintai member said softly, lowering his head in defeat.

"Please don't bother my sister until tonight," Souta added. "I'll be starting her training to become a dark priestess...or dark miko. I wish for her to complete all that she can today."

"Why would you want to make her a dark priestess?"

"Simple," Kohaku answered for the older teen. "Kagome would be more useful as a dark miko than a regular one. With those powers she could become evil and rule the country with her brother. And...we could use her to kill anyone who gets in our way."

"Do you have anymore questions?" the older lord asked.

"No," the kind doctor answered. "I'll take my leave now."

"I'll go with you," the younger lord laughed, jumping off the chair's arm and following the depressed Shichinintai member out the door.

Once the two had disappeared, Souta turned his head to a dark corner of his room and smiled. "Rani..."

"Lord Souta," she said softly, stepping out of the darkness. "I have news for you."

"About?"

"Your sisters training ground. She'll be taken to the Forgotten Cave's by Kagura."

"Do you know if there are anymore Forgottens? The last thing I'd want is for her to run into one of those. It'd ruin all my plans."

"I believe there are no more. However, I might be mistaken."

"It doesn't matter, Kagura will keep Kagome from them. Very well, you may leave."

"Yes my Lord."

-------------------

Kagome was pacing around outside the castle, feeling rather bored. She stood in the soft grass outside and looked up at the sky. It was slightly cloudy and very windy. The cold wind bit at her skin, and she tried her best to cover up in the giant blanket she had wrapped around her tiny body. She refused to go inside though, she felt so restless inside the castle, as if something was wrong. She felt like she needed to stay outside. She turned her head and found a young woman sitting in the grass, hiding her face from view. With nothing else to do, the young priestess decided it'd be best to talk to the depressed looking woman.

"Hello," she said softly, as he approached the woman.

"What?" the woman answered, looking up at Kagome. "Lady Kagome!" she choked out. Kagome didn't remember, but she knew this woman. She was standing before Yura of the Hair.

"You look sad, is there something the matter?" the younger girl asked, ignoring the feeling in her stomach that told her to run.

"No," Yura lied, "I'm fine."

"Oh." Kagome sat down beside the demon and looked up at the sky again. "If you're feeling bad, you shouldn't keep it bundled up inside."

"You're Souta's sister...Correct?"

"Yup!"

"I don't have anyone to talk with. I'm alone."

"Not true!" the younger girl laughed, patting the demon on the back. "You've got me now! What's your name?"

"Yura."

"Great! As you already know mine, Kagome. So, let's be friends!"

"Why?"

"Because we're both lonely. Just because Souta's my brother, doesn't mean he hangs out with me all the time. In fact, he spends the most time with that Kohaku."

"Friends...with you?" Yura stared at Kagome in disbelief. _You're the one who killed me...and now you want to be friends? _"Oh, what the heck. Yeah, I'll be your friend."

"Great! We could be depressed buddies!"

"What are you talking about?"

"I mean, when we're bummed out, we can talk to each other about our problems."

"Whatever..."

"Kagome!" a familiar voice yelled. The said girl turned her head and found Kagura walking toward her. "There you are. We're starting your training today."

"Okkaaaaaaay Kagura! I'm gonna be the BEST dark priestess EVER!"

"I'm sure you are." Kagura's feather formed beneath her, and as she floated into the air on it, she grabbed hold of Kagome and tossed her on as well. She took the blanket from the modern priestess and tossed it down to Yura. "Put this in her room will ya?"

"Yeah...sure," Yura replied, still in shock. Kagome was so...weird.

"Yeah! I'm gonna kill DEMONS!" Kagome giggled as they flew off towards some mountains in the distance.

"Stop acting like that!"

-------------------------

When Kagura landed, they were standing before a large and dark cave. The entire place had a creepy aura. The cave of the Forgotten, was supposed to unlock the evil powers within a person, and help them to bring out their dark side. "Kagome, we will enter together...and we will go to the waterfall deep within the cave. There, you will strengthen yourself and awaken the darkness within. Let's go," Kagura explained. The two quietly entered the cave and looked around in awe. The inside of the cave was covered in a dark crystal and they could see their reflections everywhere.

"Kagura?" Kagome said softly, her voice was trembling. "I feel funny."

"You should. You're completely pure, entering a cursed place."

As they wandered through the cave, the young priestess often saw something running around them. The once scared feeling she had of the place dissolved, and she found herself feeling sad. The sadness did not belong to her though, it was the sadness of the cave. As she walked through the cave, she stared at the crystal walls, and saw images of terrible things that made her heart ache. She stopped suddenly to look at one of the crystals and tears filled her eyes. The crystal told the story of a young couple who were torn apart by evil.

"Kagome!" Kagura yelled, when she noticed the priestess staring at the stories. She approached her and watched the story with her for a moment, before speaking again. "These walls tell the sad stories of lovers and all kinds of beings...who died here."

"They died here?"

"This cave used to be a place where happiness could be found. The Forgotten...were the ones who took care of this place. It all began, when one of the protectors fell in love with a young human girl. The two loved each other very much. They decided to leave the cave together and live a peaceful life somewhere else. It turned out...that the protectors weren't allowed to leave the cave...and when he did, it angered the demon that protected them. He was instantly turned into a little creature, the Forgotten, along with the rest of the protectors. The woman he loved was killed before his eyes and that's when the sorrow began. All of the families, the lovers, and friends, began warring and killing each other. At the end, just before they died...they realized what they'd done...and thus the cave filled with the crystal of sad memories."

"And the Forgotten?"

"They were forgotten. Most of them left the cave, to try and find happiness."

"That's so sad...So, why do people come here to bring out their darkness?"

"Because that's what happened to the ones that lived here. The demon of this place, can turn your heart evil. Only one thing can keep it from happening though..."

"What is it?"

"Nevermind. Let's continue." _The Forgotten can stop the demon from turning a heart black, because of their great powers. Souta wouldn't want her to run into one because they also show you what you've forgotten. The Forgotten would, without a doubt, review to her a bit of Bankotsu. It wouldn't be able to show her the whole truth, because it wouldn't be able to match the Masters powers, but it would still stir up memories that he wouldn't be able to erase again. After all, you can only erase the memories safety once._

They continued walking until Kagome saw something that once again caught her eye. This time; however, it wasn't a memory crystal, but a fluffy little creamy colored mouse with feathery white wings on it's back. It's eyes looked so sad as it watched her walk by. Then suddenly, in it's eyes, she saw two blue eyes that looked so familiar, making her stop to stare. "Who is that?" she mumbled. The small creature jumped up and began running down another path as soon as it realized she'd spotted it. "Wait!" Kagome chased after the small creature, wanting to know exactly what it had shown her. The eyes she'd seen made her feel so sad, and yet so peaceful.

"Kagome! Stop!" Kagura tried to chase after the young priestess, but couldn't follow her down the path, for she was instantly shut out by a memory crystal. She watched in horror as Kagome disappeared down the long and dark tunnel.

"Don't run!" Kagome said softly when she caught up to the tiny creature at a dead end. "Please..I won't hurt you." The creature stopped and turned to her, almost as if it understood her. "You look so lonely...I'm sorry I scared you. I just saw...something. The tiny mouse approached her slowly and jumped into her arms. It cuddled into her chest and let out a tiny sigh, then it lifted it's head and looked at the crystal wall in front of them. The crystal showed a young woman running from a bunch of people and she turned into the little mouse in the priestess's arms. "That's your story...You must have been scared...and so alone. Don't worry...You're with me now. You don't have to be lonely anymore. You must be a Forgotten."

"Chhhhip!" the little creature suddenly cried. Kagome whirled around in horror to see what the Forgotten was crying about and saw a huge deformed human man standing beside her. His face was that of a lizard, and his hands that of a cats.

"I see young priestess...I eat the Forgotten...and you have found me that last one. Give me the creature...and I will give you your powers."

"Are you the demon that makes people evil?" the raven haired girl asked in anger.

"I am."

"Then you're a monster! If you want this poor creature...you'll have to take it from me!"

"I have no problem doing that!" The demon swung his paw at Kagome, but she quickly dodged it, escaping with a small scratch. "Slippery..." Kagome continued to flee from the demons attacks, holding the small Forgotten close to her chest the whole time. After a while, it was obvious that she was tired and the demon was about to win. "Poor human...Surrender...and I will make your death painless."

"N-never," she breathed back. As she said that, the Forgotten in her arms began to pull away from her and jumped out of her grasp. It hissed at the demon and then jumped into the air. While it floated in the air, the mouse began glowing and then began to fall towards the ground. As it fell, a hole in the ground opened up and it disappeared into the hole. Kagome was confused at first, but then out of the hole, rose of silver bladed sword with a golden handle and wings the hilt. Kagome took hold of the blade and felt a strange power pulse throughout her body. "This is it!" she laughed at the beast who stared at her in awe. "This is where...you end!"

"K-keep that thing away from me!" the demon hissed in horror as Kagome charged at it. She swung her sword and out of it came a slash of white light. In the light, as the beam hit the demon, it tore him apart, but instead of blood, feathers scattered around his fallen body. As his body vanished, the white feathers vanished as well. Kagome looked at the sword in awe and then turned and hit a rock with it. The rock burst open and feathers flew out of the swords blade.

"How weird..." she said to herself. "Every time I swing, feathers appear where there should be blood or something else...Neat!" She dropped the sword to the ground as it began to change back into the little Forgotten she'd saved, and she watched it look up at her happily.

"Master!" it cried, leaping into her arms once more. The young priestess hugged it back and laughed as the tiny mouse licked her face. Kagome had made friends with the last of the Forgotten.

-------------------

Kagura waited anxiously outside the cave for the priestess to return. When the crystals had denied to access into the passage way, they also kicked her out of the cave. She was slightly worried about Kagome, but mostly worried about herself. What would Souta do to her if she let Kagome get killed by the demon who was supposed to help them? Suddenly, something caught her ears.

"Hi Kagura!" Kagome laughed as she ran out of the cave with the mouse riding on her head.

"What is that...?" Kagura asked bluntly when she saw the girls new pet.

"This is Butter. She's a Forgotten!"

Kagura thought her heart stopped for moment. Souta wasn't going to be happy. "Great...Butter..."

-----------------

"What do you mean she found a Forgotten?" Souta asked angrily when Kagura told him the news. "Make her get rid of it."

"We can't do that," Kagura mumbled, "It'll break her heart. She killed that monster all by herself to save it."

"Well...as long as it's around she can't become a dark priestess."

Souta, Kanna and Kagura were all sitting in Souta's room, talking about their plans for his sister.

"That's not true," Kanna said softly. "She cannot become a dark priestess because she has used the Sword of Angiles. (An-jill-ies) It is now impossible...In fact. Her memories are fighting to reappear. When you took all her memories...she forgot them. Therefor, the Forgotten have them. But since Butter is that last Forgotten, it is Butter who has the memories."

"But do not worry Lord Souta," Kagura said calmly. "Butter doesn't have enough power to break your spell, she can only show Kagome a few of her memories."

"Even if she does...I'll have to make sure that Kagome can't go back to Bankotsu. No matter what. I'll make it so, they'll never be together again," Souta said angrily, making a fist so tight that his hand bled.

-----------------------

"And so...Here I am," Kagome said to Butter as the two of them sat on her bed. She told the tiny mouse everything she knew, and the mouse could tell that she was sad. "I don't remember anything else. Everyone seems to know me, some even hate me...and I don't know why. People are just being nice to me because of Souta." The two were sitting outside in front of the castle. Kagome's favorite place to be.

"Cheer up!" Butter chirped, trying to make Kagome feel better.

"I can't...I don't know who I was. Was I evil? Was I bad?"

"Not evil."

"What? How do you know?"

"Memories here." Butter pointed to her heart and then smiled at Kagome. "My heart."

"Does that mean...that all of the forgotten memories go to you?" the young priestess inquired, picking up the fuzzy mouse. When Butter nodded, her eyes shined with happiness. "Can you tell me if my old lover really hates me?"

"Can't tell...Blocked."

"Oh..." She set Butter back down on the bed and let out a sad sigh.

"Show this!"

As Kagome looked at the Forgotten, she saw in Butters eyes the two blue eyes she'd seen before. "His eyes are so beautiful...who is he...?" As she continued to stare at Butter, another image began to appear. A young man with a long black braid, and a charming smile formed. He had the same blue eyes Kagome had been seeing before. "That's him, he was my lover. That's the one...who hurt me."

CHAPTER END

**

* * *

**

**NEXT CHAPTER: The Imposture**

With Kagome slowly starting to find her memories, Souta begins to panic and starts on plan B. But will his plan really stop Bankotsu and Kagome from being together...or just hurt them even more?

**

* * *

**

So there's the chapter! Believe me, the story will keep getting more intense! Thanks for reading, and I love you all! Remember the poll! 


	22. The Imposture

I woulda updated sooner…but fanfiction was being all durdurdur….Yeah, I pretty much got a new computer…and it's in its own way, stupid…but at the same time, awesome. So anyways, the layout of the story will now change to something a little more pleasant to the eye. And, as a bonus…I'm gonna admit something to you all. I haven't been writing at my best. ((gasp)) Yeah, I know I'm lazy. And even though you guys all like it, I think these stories of mine kinda suck. Therefore, I'll put all my effort into them now. That means…I'll treat them more like my (wanna be professional stuff). Yeah, that's right. If you guys like my other work, you're gonna love it even more now! BTW, I'm happy you all like Butter! Is she original enough? Oh…Hey, Lucky, I don't get tired of readers, and I pretty love you now. XP

**Disclaimer: ** I do not own any of this story…so don't sue me.

**Warnings: **OOC , tons of pink fluff

**Key:** "speech" _thought _**flashback**

**Answered Questions:**

When will Kagome get stronger?

A: _Actually…I dunno yet. I guess you could say she's stronger now, but at the moment…the stories in a more, emotional point, instead of actiony. But fear not, my good readers, for the battles are yet to come!_

2. What's my name?

A: _Well…I don't see any harm giving out my first name. XP It's Becca, or you can call me RAS, my initials. _

**A look at the Chatacters:**

Actually…I just kinda felt like doing something like this…But seriously, in the story…I have to say my favorite character is in fact, Souta. He's so twisted and lost, and yet strong and brave, and still scared and weak. He's just a big blob of emotions that only wants to be loved.

I also have taken a liking to Kohaku, or rather… Ryuukotsusei. Because he is also looking for something, and I've begun to develop his character more. True, a few of the characters are pretty evil, but at the same time, they're only trying to find something that is so simple to everyone else. So, most of the characters have a hidden side to them, a hidden goodness. I don't know, the idea of someone being seen as pure evil, but who is really drowning in despair touches me, because with that character, you can do so many things with them. The sad and hopeless characters have an affect on the reader, and you can't help but feel sorry for them.

Catch you Catch Kagome

**CHAPTER TWENTY-TWO: The Imposture**

Kagome had retreated to her bedroom with Butter when it had begun to get dark, and sat on her bed, thinking about everything that had happened to her during the day. Everything seemed so foreign to her, like the day's events weren't anything how they should be. She felt like the people who were supposed to be there weren't, and those that were there shouldn't be. She was always with someone, but she still felt lonely. It was as if a part of her was missing, a part that she could see in the eyes of the Forgotten.

"What's your story?" she asked, pulling the cat sized mouse into her arms. "You must have had it hard…being alone for so long."

"Yes, hard," answered the Forgotten sadly.

"I made a mistake somewhere…"

"You're mistake was giving up," a familiar voice from behind her said. She turned quickly and found Suikotsu standing behind her with a handful of flowers. "Here. I heard you ruined your training. I'm sorry."

"It's fine," she replied, a smile one her face. "Roses!" She examined the beautiful red buds and then noticed a purple flower in the middle of them. "What's this?"

"An iris," the Shichinintai member replied, his voice sounding gloomy. "It's the symbol of hope."

"Why did you put it with a bunch of roses, don't they mean love?"

"It just seemed right."

The two sat in silence for a few seconds, when Kagome remembered what the older man had said earlier. When she turned to ask, she saw him staring at her. His eyes were filled with pain, a pain that was similar to her own. She didn't know what it was, she just recognized it. "What do you mean…? I gave up?"

"That's exactly what it was. I owe everything I have to your giving up. You became tired with life…and gave into the darkness that was pursuing you. You gave up. That was your mistake."

"Can I fix it?"

"Your subconscious is trying to alert you…However, it'll be impossible without your memories."

"I said…Can't I fix it?"

"It's up to you," he replied, pulling her into a tight embrace. She let her body relax against his own warm form, and felt herself becoming tired. "I don't want to lose you," he mumbled into her hair. "But I don't want to cause you any pain either…" Without another word, he released her and left the room as swiftly as he'd entered.

"Butter," she said sadly, once Suikotsu had left. "Everyone knows something…why don't I?"

"Be happy!" the small creature squealed, jumping up and down on its master lap.

"I'm sorry Butter…I can't."

**OoOoOoOo**

"My sister still suffers," Souta said darkly as he leaned against the wall of a brightly lit room that appeared to be a library of some sort. He stared out a large gothic style window, gazing at the huge expanse of grassy fields, which was only a fraction of what he owned. "Nothing I have brings a smile to her face…and now, she's found a Forgotten."

"Just isn't your month," teased Kohaku, who was sitting at a circular table near one of the book shelves. On the table before him, he had laid out a collection of random spell books from all over the library and was carefully searching through each one, hoping to find something that would solve his partner's troublesome problem.

"If she is not happy…What should I do?" asked the younger lord of the castle, sounding lost. Souta had that desperate sound in his voice more frequently now that his sister was finally with him. He had gotten everything he wanted, but in a sense, he hadn't gotten anything at all. Souta was no longer the same strong and blood thirsty man he'd been before. He was now lost, constantly spacing out, and childish. It was as if the child inside him was crying out, trying to gain control of his body once again. But to no avail would he find the happiness he was seeking or the control he wanted.

Because of his new and odd behavior, Kohaku had decided to keep him out of sight, because if anyone outside the castle saw him, they would instantly know that he was breaking apart. The demons and persons inside the castle wouldn't dare touch him, for they knew that if they dared to take advantage of his weakness, Kohaku would destroy them. Many of the beings in the castle owed their lives to him, so they wouldn't ever betray their beloved master either. He wasn't unstable, he was completely control of his usual behavior, but his soul was crumbling. It was being torn apart by the heartache he was putting his sister through. He only wanted to make her happy, and the fact that he was doing the opposite was destroying him piece by piece. He tried to be self-centered, he tried to not care, but he couldn't. He couldn't stand the fact he had to force his sister to stay with him. He couldn't stand the unbearable truth that she hated who he'd become, and he was losing his mind.

Kohaku glanced over at the sad and dangerously skinny young man standing at the wall. He knew the older boy hadn't been eating well, and it scared him. True, Kohaku was possessed by a demon, but that demon, Ryuukotsusei, cared for Souta as a friend. The thought of losing the tortured human horrified him to no extent, and though he often made shrewd comments, he really was worried. Lately, the older teen had been wearing black long sleeved shirts, along with his black pants, hoping to cover the scars on his wrists. Nobody knew what had driven Souta to harm himself, they figured that he might have become unstable or something. But Kohaku knew…that Souta had been in his right mind.

"**Souta?" Kohaku called as he peered into his partners pitch dark room. "Are you in here?" As he entered, he suddenly felt a chill of terror flash through his body. Sitting on the ground in the dim light of a candle, was Souta, staring at his arm. Kohaku smiled, wondering why he'd been freaked out and took a step closer.**

"**Stay back," the older teen said, his voice hoarse and filled with pain. "Don't come any closer."**

"**Souta," the possessed demon slayer replied sternly. "What's wrong?"**

"**It's all me," the young lord whimpered, shielding his eyes with his arms. It was then that Kohaku noticed that Souta's arms were covered in blood along with deep looking slash wounds. On the ground beside his trembling body was a bloody knife. **

"**What have you done?" the younger teen asked sympathetically, thinking that his partner had become unstable again. "Are you stable?"**

"**I'm fine!" Souta hissed, suddenly hugging himself. "Leave me alone Kohaku. I don't want you to see me like this…"**

"**You mean…? Why?"**

"**Someone needs to punish me."**

**Souta words struck Kohaku in such a way, even he couldn't explain the emotions they stirred inside his human body's heart. Soutas' voice was filled with defeat and his eyes empty. Looking into the young teens eyes was like looking into a pool of deep water, endless and dark. His friend had become weak and frail…and he wouldn't be recovering anytime soon.**

"Calm down," the younger boy said soothingly, putting the books down. "Are you feeling okay?"

Souta looked at the younger boy, a sad and worried expression on his face, and touched his left wrist. "I feel weird," he replied. "This feeling…It's eating away at my heart. I can't eat, I can't sleep, I have urges to hurt myself…Is this what my sister feels like?"

"You're wasting away." _You still have the mood swings…I don't know what's happening to you. One minute you're fine…and then…look at you. _"You need to take better care of yourself."

"Souta!" a voice cried. The two young boys turned towards the door to find it open and a distressed Rani standing in its entrance. "Oh, my lord!" she ran to the older teen and hugged him around the waist. "When they told me what was happening…I-"

"Shhh," he soothed, brushing his hand through her long black hair. "I'll be fine. I don't plan to die because of my emotions." Then he looked over at Kohaku, "I'm sure he'll be finding some way to help me."

"I already have," the younger boy laughed, glancing down at the open book on the table. "But first…we need to insure Bankotsu's uninvolvement."

"What do you have planned?" Rani asked, slightly worried for Kagome's safety. She knew that if they did something to harm Bankotsu, Kagome would feel it, and it would cause her to feel even more pain.

"It's simple," the younger lord replied, his evil smile growing larger. "We make a fake Kagome and give it to Bankotsu. Souta, you can change his feelings around and make him believe it's the real thing."

"What will we do with Kagome?" Souta asked, also worried for his sisters safety.

"Kill the Forgotten. The sooner we get rid of it…the better. Afterward I can use one of my spells to gain passage into her mind, and manually destroy what memories we want gone."

"That won't work," the woman beside Souta said sternly. "You only destroyed the memories you could get too. That Forgotten isn't giving her back memories; it's helping her to remember. Her memories…Souta never destroyed them, he only took some out, and the ones that were important to her were shattered. They're now hidden inside her, waiting to be uncovered. The Forgotten will only give her the memories that are key to piecing the ones she has together."

"You sure know a lot about this subject, don't you?" the possessed demon slayer snapped angrily.

"Well then, explain why her body remembers things that she doesn't?"

"Then I'll destroy all of the pieces."

Rani let out a sight and shook her head. _You can't do that…They're hidden for a reason, not even Kagome can find them. _

"**Nothing's worth fighting for if it's easy…right?"**

"Very well….Rani," Souta said sternly, regaining his senses. "Go and bring me a bunch of beautiful demon bones from the graveyard, along with some flowers and birds. Also…bring a jewel shard."

**OoOoOoOo**

"Why do I have to take you?" Rani asked herself loudly as she stalked through the forest with a girl that looked exactly like Kagome. Everything about the young girl was identical, down to the last cell. Her face, her eyes, even her personality were identical. True, she had her own soul, but the thought of having a good looking man head-over-heels in love with her was appealing. "Kagome."

"Yes?" The Kagome clone answered softly.

"Wait here. Eventually Bankotsu will come to you," she told her. "Don't mess this up."

"Whatever. Try and remember, my name is K-A-G-O-M-A. Not Kagome…I'm not that pathetic little girl in the castle."

"It doesn't matter to me. I'll never see you again. Hopefully."

Rani was planning to leave the Kagome clone sitting by a tree near the Shichinintai cave. The clone waited patiently, wondering what her lover was going to look like. She couldn't believe that she was once a pile of bones, baby birds, and a collection of flowers. She touched the jewel shard that had been placed in her heart and remembered her creator. Talk and dark Souta. He was the most handsome man she'd ever seen, and the one she owed her life too. If it weren't for Rani, she'd gladly become his slave.

But when she thought of her master, something scared her. He was extremely cool, dark, and powerful…but there was a sorrow there, a sorrow deeper than any hate. He was something you'd be better to stay away from, something that shouldn't have a lover. No doubt Rani felt it too. Was that why Rani was so eager to be close to him? Did she not fear that dark sorrow that could result in her own death? Or did she know….that the closer to she became to him, the closer she'd be to death.

"Rani, before you go…Can I ask you something?" asked Kagoma, somewhat hesitantly.

"Sure," answered the older girl, acting snobby because she feared that Kagoma was going to go for her man.

"Why do you stay by Souta?"

"What kind of question is that?"

"He's dangerous."

"My life is his life. I wouldn't be alive if it weren't for him."

"Does he know that?"

"I don't know if he realizes it. He's too busy with his sister, he's to busy hurting. I don't want to burden him with all my love. He may scare those that get to close…but I want to be as close as possible…" _Even when we…I still wasn't one with you. You were still so distant…but I did see so much more. _"I don't care what happens to me. Good luck, Kagoma."

**OoOoOoOo**

"I can't take this…"Bankotsu said to himself. He was lying on his bed in the cave, starving himself for the last week. Jakotsu had tried to get him to eat, but it proved impossible.

"Are you ready to eat?" asked the cross-dresser excitedly. "Eat eat eat EAT!"

"No," answered the Shichinintai leader, rolling over on his side. "I want to eat with her."

"Big Brother," the older man said sadly, his smile faded. It hurt to see his leader like he was. He'd lost the only girl he'd loved, he found out only half of his love was real, his friends had betrayed him, his team had left him, and he'd lost the will to live the second life he'd been given. Every night, Jakotsu would watch his leader rubbing his neck where his life energy was kept, fearing that one of those times, he'd tear it out. "She's…she's not coming back anytime soon. If you want to look for her, you need to be strong."

"Go away!" he hissed in reply, not bothering to look his friend in the face.

Ginkotsu and Kyoukotsu were outside gathering wild flowers for Kagome when she returned, hoping that if they kept themselves busy they wouldn't have to see their leader suffer.

"I'm going for a walk!" Bankotsu said suddenly, standing up and leaving the cave. Jakotsu was slightly happy, at least his leader was still exercising…with nothing in his belly. He walked past Ginkotsu and Kyoukotsu, ignoring the pile of daisies they'd put all over the machine man.

"Going for a walk, gesh?" asked Ginkotsu, sounding hopeful.

"Yeah," answered the smaller man, waving his hand reluctantly at them.

"BIG BROTHER STILL SAD," Kyoukotsu boomed sadly, feeling his leader's pain. "ME MISS KAGOME."

"Gesh…"

Bankotsu ignored his friend's comments and headed deep into the forest, wondering what he should do. His heart was bleeding, his spirit weak, he just wanted Kagome back. He was ready to give up everything, even his new life…if only to see her smile again. "Where are you?" he cried sadly, dropping to his knees and pounding the ground with his fists. "Why can't I find you…?"

"Don't cry anymore," a familiar voice said softly, causing the young mans heart to skip a beat. "I'm here now." Bankotsu looked up and saw his beloved crawling out from behind a bush. She looked exactly like he'd remembered her to look, she was beautiful.

"Is that…" he said softly, his eyes filling with tears. "Is that really you?"

"It is," she answered, slowly approaching him. "Kagoma."

"I missed you so much!" he cried, throwing his arms around her waist and holding her tight. The Kagome clone looked down at him and rubbed his head lovingly.

"I know," she said soothingly. "I know." Bankotsu didn't know it, but Souta had changed him. His heart was in love with Kagoma now, the woman he thought to be Kagome…He didn't have the slightest clue that he was being fooled again.

**OoOoOoOo**

The next day, Kagome woke up feeling more depressed than usual, and Butter was the first one to discover this. Her eyes were glazed over, as if she'd been crying in her sleep, and her movements were slower than normal.

When Suikotsu found her, she was standing in the library, looking out the window in silence. Butter, who was beside her, was continually poking her master in the arm, hoping to get a response. When the Forgotten saw the Shichinintai member walk into the room, she raced to him, squeaking worriedly, hoping that he could cheer the young priestess up.

"Kagome sad!" the mouse cried, little tears forming in her big eyes. "Make feel better!"

"Kagome," the kind doctor said softly, stepping toward the dazed young woman. "Please answer me."

It was as if the modern priestess couldn't hear him at all. She stood at the window, emotionless, unmoving, watching the world around her live, not living herself. Her eyes were dark, no longer filled with her familiar spark of life, and her skin cold. Suikotsu had been so worked up about the young woman before him; he'd failed to notice what she was wearing. She was wearing nothing more than a thin yellow dress that clung to her feminine figure, and a black pair of sandals.

"Kagome," the doctor said again, his voice kind and loving. "What's wrong?"

"Looks like she's missing Big Brother," an unwelcome voice laughed. "She and Souta are both going into a weird depression." Mukotsu entered the library through the open door, wearing a silk outfit giving to him by Kohaku himself.

"Souta?" Suikotsu asked, sounding somewhat concerned. "Is he okay?"

"Hard to tell. He just suddenly fell to his knees during a conference we had early, crying and mumbling, 'I want my freedom, I want my sister'. Kohaku took him to his room with Rani." The poison master approached the two and eyed the young priestess lustfully. "They both need some loving, but who's gonna give it to Kagome?"

"Nobody," the taller man hissed, pushing the smaller one back. "You'll keep away from her."

"As long as you're here I will."

"Snow," a soft and weak voice mumbled. The two men looked at Kagome to see tears running down her cheeks as she pointed out the window. They looked, and were surprised to see the ground outside the castle, covered in a blanket of white snow. Everything was white and they couldn't see any other color.

"Kagome?" Suikotsu asked worriedly, wondering what was happening.

"He's out there," she said again, sounding hopeless. "Someone's out there, calling me. I can feel it…" She touched her heart and smiled. "I can feel it here." Without another word, she climbed up onto the windowsill and pressed her body against the glass. "I'll go to him." For a second, the glass became none existent, and the young girl fell through it into the whiteness below. It was as if the snow itself reached up and grabbed her, preventing her from falling to her doom from the 4th floor of the castle. Her body was so frail; she'd never survive such a fall.

"Kagome!" Suikotsu screamed, banging his hands against the glass. He couldn't go after her; something was strengthening the window, forcing him to watch the woman he loved wander off into the unknown of the icy world outside.

"Go to her," another female voice yelled, snapping both Mukotsu and Suikotsu from their dazes. They turned to see the Forgotten standing on a table, a bright blue light emitting from her eyes. "Go and save her. If you don't do it now, she'll be lost. Lost to the sorrow in her heart."

"The snow," he inquired, wanting to know more before he blindly chased after her. "Where did it come from."

"Her heart, she's a strong priestess…The snow is from her inner heart. Pure, endless, cold, and lonely."

CHAPTER END

**OOOOOOOOOOO**

**NEXT CHAPTER: The Sound of Two Hearts Freezing in the Snow**

Kagome finally gives into depression, and like her brother, begins to waste away. With the whole castle worried for the siblings well-being, Suikotsu decides that there's only one thing he can do, give up all his hopes for happiness and save the woman he loves. But even if he saves her…can they save Bankotsu?

**OOOOOOOOOOOOO**

((gasp)) And so it begins! How'd you like that style of writing? Much better? I thought so…I really liked the part about Souta. Teehee, it was beautiful. See you next chapter!


	23. The Sound of Two Hearts Freezing Snow

**Well well well...This one got updated sooner. But it's also shorter. Now the action begins, so the story is going to be chaotic until the end. As for the end, it's near, but still far away. Anyways, thanks for all the compliments, I really enjoy them. I'm actually really happy that so many people have stayed with the story and that I have so many readers. ((smiles)) You have no idea how happy this makes me. Thanks for sticking with all the weird things that have happened in here and still reading! **

**

* * *

Disclaimer: ** I do not own any of this story…so don't sue me.

**Warnings: **OOC

**Key:** "speech" _thought _**flashback**

**Reviewer Chat **

Kirri Kitty: _You're too sweet. Thanks. ) I guess I'll dedicate my next story to you. XP_

Lucky:_ Don't be sorry, silly. I don't mind questions. Feel free to ask anything._

To everybody:_ Thanks for the compliments!  
_

**Answered Questions:**

1. How do you pronounce Kagoma?

A: _Yes, it's the same as Kagome, only with an "a" sound at the end. _

2. Is Kagome Souta?

A: _I'd normally make ya'll read to find out, but…lol…In this case I won't. No, Kagoma isn't Souta at all, she's a Kagome copy. Souta's probably off in his castle sulking…lol_

Catch you Catch Kagome

**CHAPTER TWENTY-THERE: The Sound of Two Hearts Freezing in the Snow**

The young priestess ran through the snow blindly, ignoring the cold ice that was nipping at her bare ankles. She wasn't going to sit by and let people lie to her anymore, she was going to fill the emptiness inside her soul, alone or with help. She knew something was wrong with the world she was living in, she could feel it. The darkness everyone reeked of, she couldn't feel any good. And yet, the thing calling her was no more pure than all the other hearts she had been around. Was it her curse, to fall in love with evil? Was she meant to be one with the darkness that called her, or was she to heal it?

In her blind run, she failed to notice the rather large rock lying in her path, and tripped over it, falling face down into the snow. Instead of standing up immediately, she stayed there, icy tears falling from her eyes. "This is it…" she mumbled sadly. "I give up."

"Don't give up," a strong and familiar voice said. She looked up and her eyes met with Suikotsu's. "Don't give up again."

"Leave me," she replied, letting her head drop to the ground again. "I'm through…I don't have anything."

"You have me," he said soothingly. "You're friend…I'll tell you everything." He reached out his hand and smiled when the younger woman took it, using it to stand up and balance herself. Butter stood in the background, watching the two with a sad expression on her face. She watched the two sit down in the snow, and watched Suikotsu wrap his arms around Kagome, trying to keep her warm.

"Tell me."

"That man," the Shichinintai member began, "was your lover. His name is Bankotsu. He's the leader of the Shichinintai."

"Why did he try to kill me?"

Suikotsu took a deep breath before answering. "He didn't do it on purpose…Your brother…he made him do it."

"W-what?" the confused and horrified expression on the raven haired girls face was enough to kill the man holding her. He held her tightly, fearing what she may do to him when he finished the story.

"Souta is pure evil…and I joined him, hoping to get you as my prize. Before you'd woken up, Souta had snatched you from Bankotsu's arms and forced you to forget everything…"

"Get away from me!" Kagome hissed, her memories returning to her. She pulled herself from Suikotsu's grab and stood up, looking at him with malice. "You lied to me? You stole me from the man I loved to make me yours?"

"Kagome...I-"

"No! Shut up!" her words broke his heart. "I trusted you! I thought I loved you!"

"Please…let me explain."

"No…I hate you!"

The final string holding Suikotsu's heart together snapped, and small tears formed in his eyes. Nothing was going the way he'd hoped, but she had every right to hate him, and he knew it. Maybe that's why it hurt so much. He knew that in order to stop her hurting, he needed to hurt.

"Kagome!" Butter yelled from her spot in the background. "Memories returning!"

The modern priestess felt her mind open up, and all of her lost memories returned to her, filling her with familiar feeling from before. But as she searched her memories…she found nothing of Bankotsu. Nothing in her mind reminded her of the man she loved.

"Why are you doing this to me, Souta? Why?" she cried, holding her head and falling to her knees. The snow around them began to fade as both of their hearts began to freeze, both hearts tired of the torment they'd been going through. Both hearts…frozen from sadness.

**OoOoOoOo**

Souta was lying on his bed sulking when it happened. When suddenly all the chaos in his mind vanished and his emotions controlled themselves once more. He sat up urgently, feeling his tear stained cheeks, amazed that the tears had stopped. He felt his strength returning, his body regaining the power it once had, and his mind fully stable now. He looked around his dark room, wondering what had caused his feelings to change. After a few minutes of silent pondering, he realized what had happened. Kagome had returned to her old self, she was no longer suffering, and neither was he. After all, Souta's emotions were connected to his sisters.

He stood up quickly, a scowl present on his face, and headed towards his closet, intent on covering his half-naked body. When he finished dressing himself, he was wearing tight black pants, along with a matching sleeveless shirt. Over the shirt, he had a silver vest, that appeared to be made of metal and heavy, but was actually quite light. His hands were covered by black gloves that stopped at his wrists, and his arms were wrapped up in white bandages to hide his scars. At his side, was a long glamorous sword, with a jagged blade that appeared to be extremely dangerous.

"If this is how it has to be…Nobody will have you," he said to himself, looking down at the blade. "I'll seal you in ice. That way…everyone's happy." He went to his door and when he opened it, found Rani standing before him, holding a basket full of rice cakes.

"Lord Souta!" she said in surprise, lowering her head in respect. "I thought you may be hungry….Are you going somewhere?"

"Yes," he replied, smiling. "Put the cakes in my room and we can eat them together later."

"Yes Sir!" she laughed, running into the dark room behind him. When she came out, she was surprised to find that he'd waited for her. "Souta?"

"Come, let's walk together." As the two walked down the halls of the grand castle in silence, the older teen decided to bring up some small talk. "Without my sister…we won't be able to extract the things from Sango. Therefore, Kohaku won't receive his new body."

"Is there anything we can do about that?" asked the innocent girl beside him, wondering what her beloved master was planning.

"We'll need a lot of otherwise meaningless items and a female sacrifice. It'll be a pain, but we'll manage somehow. I owe everything to him anyways." The two stopped in front of a large door where they would find many of the stronger humans and demons engaged in casual conversation, along with Kohaku.

As Souta pushed open the door, the entire room became silent and looked his way. "Souta?" Kohaku said in a worried voice. "What's going on? Why are you dressed for battle?"

"I'm fine," replied the older lord as he entered with his mistress behind him. "Men," he called to the other souls in the room. "I want all of the advanced fighters to stay and everyone else to leave." It wasn't long before he had his group of powerful minions standing before him. Kanna, Kagura, Yura, Renkotsu, and Mukotsu all stood patiently, wondering what their leader had in store for them. "The time has come to set everything into motion."

"What is this all about?" Kohaku asked, becoming slightly angry because he didn't understand what his partner was doing. "Explain now."

"Calm down Kohaku," scolded the older boy, sounding relaxed. "I'm fine now…and things with Kagome aren't going to work out. We're done wasting time on her, I'll take care of her later…but first, it's time to get your body."

"I see," the younger teen replied, standing up from his seat on a table. "Are you sure?"

"Very."

"Alright then."

Now with permission from his partner, Souta turned to his men again, a twisted smile on his face. "Kanna and Kagura, I want you to take Naraku to the Star Room, and chain him up. You may have use of however many demons you may need. When you have finished, go into a city and collect twenty skulls from children. Each skull should have the child's soul sealed inside it." He created a strange pen in his hand and handed it to Kagura. "Write the word 'soul' on each skull and it will seal the spirit." Kanna and Kagura nodded before running off to begin tend duty.

"Renkotsu and Mukotsu, I want you to go and make some candles using horse blood. And finally…Yura, I want you to gather the troops together."

When everyone left to carry out their missions, Kohaku, Souta, and Rani stood silently in the room, looking at one another. "My lord?" the younger girl asked softly, wondering if she was going to be given a task as well.

"Calm down," Souta laughed, patting her on the head. "I'll have you set up the Star Room for the ritual. Until then, I want you to stay by my side."

"Do you really think we'll need the demon army?" asked the younger lord as he approached his partner.

"Perhaps," he answered. "You never know who will oppose us. Besides, we'll need them when we attack the four castles. After all, when Inuyasha killed you again, some poor old reject man stumbled across your body and stole what was left of your heart. He split it into four pieces and gave to it the four strongest Lords. Without your heart, we cannot create a demonic body for you."

"Very true. What about your sister?"

"Let her do as she pleases. As I stated before, I'll deal with her when the time comes. Maybe we'll turn her into a demon too. Then she could be your wife."

"Heh, I'll get back to you on that offer."

Souta suddenly turned to Rani, a soft smile on his face. "Why don't we go and eat the rice cakes you brought me?"

**OoOoOoOo**

Kagome had left the castle and Suikotsu, taking with her only the clothes on her back and her faithful companion Butter. They traveled through the endless expanse of soft grass, ignoring the cold wind and the sleep that tugged on their eyes. They'd been walking non-stop for almost six hours, but Kagome, not wanting to waste anytime, carried on, at times carrying her mouse on her shoulders. But now, she was unable to walk any further, and now she felt herself falling.

However, when she found she had hit nothing, she opened her eyes and looked up at Suikotsu. "You shouldn't force yourself to walk so far. Let me carry you," he said soothingly.

"Why?" she inquired, slightly confused.

"I need to protect you for Bankotsu." He began walking, with Butter following happily behind, happy that her master had help now. "Kagome," he whispered. "I'm sorry."

"I know," she laughed, touching his face. "I forgive you." As he continued walking, and as the modern priestess stared up at Suikotsu's face, she smiled again. "If it weren't for Bankotsu and Inuyasha…I'd love you too."

"What?" asked the startled Shichinintai member, not sure what he heard.

"Thanks for helping me. I promise to keep everything that happened a secret. I'll tell Bankotsu that you did everything in order to protect me when my brother captured me."

"Why would you do that for me?" he asked, tears forming in his eyes. He didn't want to cry, not in front of Kagome, but…how could she be so kind?

"Because," she replied, still smiling. "You're my friend."

CHAPTER END

**OOOOOOOOOOO**

**NEXT CHAPTER: Absolute Devotion**

With nothing but her feelings to follow, Kagome sets off with Suikotsu in search of her beloved. But when she finds the man she's been longing to see, she's surprised to find that he doesn't feel the same way! Kagoma decides to take a stand, and put her original to the test…

**OOOOOOOOOOOOO**

**And then the chapter comes to an end! Yup, Kagome'll meet Bankotsu again next chapter, but she'll also meet Kagoma! OMGosh... Kay, bye bye til next chapter! **


	24. Absolute Devotion

You guys seriously give me waaaay to much credit...lol I'm seriously not as cool as you guys make me out to be. But thanks anyways, it feels nice! Here's the next amazing and actiony chapter! ((gasp))

**  
Disclaimer: ** I do not own any of this story…so don't sue me.

**Warnings: **OOC, mild language

**Key:** "speech" _thought _**flashback**

**

* * *

Reviewer Chat **

**Cody: **_Yeah, I'm working on another story. XP You and a bunch of others want another one, but I dunno how good it'll be…This one was one of those amazing things that just happened. I've got lots of working lately too, but I'll see what I can do._

**George: **_Wow...that was some review...XD Thanks_

**Beverly: **_Awww...but don't cry. Remember, all good things must come to an end. XP_

**katherine: **_I'm glad I helped you find a new pairing.  
_

**Drew: **_Oh! I speak spanish too! Hola, como estas? Estoy muy cansada._

**Jenny: **_Big B..XD (I'm like so short...) I'm glad my story makes you happy. I didn't hear about Solider Boy...hmmm..that's one of my favorites too._

**joany loves chachy:** _That's interesting...I didn't think Inuyasha liked her...hmmm...But I also don't watch as much as I'd like too...I kinda stopped after Bankotsu died. ( School got mean._

**Kage ****Youkai:**_ I'm glad I did some good! Lol..._

**punkgoddess:** _Don't kill anything! I updated! XP_

**Kaioma:**_ I love that saying... _

**ancient-relic:**_ Why thanks! I finished the battle scene...then I looked at another one and was like, "OMG...this is lame." So then I redid it. I hope it's good enough for you! lol _

**Kiki:**_ Aww...I'm sure you'd do a good job. Thanks for the compliment tho. _

**Kirri Kitty: **_Of course I don't hate you! Silly girl! Lol, I don't care who you hate, as long as it's not me. XP _

**xSesshomaru's Girlx: **_Sorry it took longer than the last one... -.- Star Testing...But here it is! Yay!__  
_

_

* * *

_  
Catch you Catch Kagome

**CHAPTER TWENTY-FOUR: Absolute Devotion**

Kagome, Suikotsu, and Butter walked along in silence, with each step bringing them closer and closer to their destination. They didn't talk very much; there wasn't much to talk about anyways. Kagome wondered what was going to happen when she met her lover face to face again. Would her memories return? Or would she be shrouded in the darkness forever?

Her heart began racing as she stepped through the last bit of the forest and into the soft sunlight. She smiled as she looked down the hill, peering upon the town where her friends lived. She'd finally realized, during the trial with Souta, that she loved both Inuyasha and Bankotsu; however, she loved the mysterious Shichinintai leader much more. "Take me to Bankotsu," she told Suikotsu as she turned to him, a sad yet joyful expression on her face.

"Very well," Suikotsu replied, happy that they were about to be reunited; however, neither of them knew of the troubles they were about to encounter. Suikotsu led the way, and as they entered the clearing in the forest where the cave was contained, they saw Ginkotsu and Kyoukotsu picking flowers, still depressed by the priestess's disappearance. Before Kagome had a chance to greet them, someone beat her to it.

"KAGOME!" a high pitch voice squealed and a beautiful tall man rushed out of the cave and over to the smaller girl, throwing his arms around her and pulling her into a tight embrace. "I missed you so much! Oh my god! Oh my god! How'd you get back? Are you okay? Did you escape or did Souta free you? Have you been eating well? What on earth are you wearing? Did they do anything to you? Did you see where they kept their castle? What about your brother, is he still crazy? How about Renkotsu and Mukotsu, what's up with them? DID MUKOTSU TRY TO RAPE YOU AGAIN?"

"Calm down Jakotsu!" Kagome laughed excitedly. "I'm fine! I'm fine! I missed you so much!"

"KAGOME!" Kyoukotsu boomed happily, picking up a pile of daisies that he'd buried Ginkotsu in and tossing them over the modern priestess. "I HAPPY YOU COME BACK! I MISSED YOU VERY MUCH!"

"Thanks!" she laughed again, as the flowers fell down around her and Jakotsu. It was really a lovely sight to behold.

"Gesh, welcome back!" agreed Ginkotsu, almost as ecstatic as Kyoukotsu, but not as much as Jakotsu.

Once the three had their happy reunion, Jakotsu looked up and found Suikotsu standing idly in the background, and anger overcame him. "What the hell is he doing here?" he snarled, suddenly switching moods. "You're the bastard that helped Souta kidnap Kagome in the first place. You betrayed Big Brother. He trusted you to protect her and you turned around and helped them. What'd they offer you? Money? Power?"

"He did it to protect me," Kagome spoke up softly, catching everyone's attention.

"What are you talking about?" the cross-dresser asked angrily, wondering why Kagome was siding with the traitor.

"Suikotsu knew that they would stop at nothing to get me…and he was worried about what would happen if they did catch me. He decided to join them and help them kidnap me, to protect me and find out what they wanted. But…things got out of hand, and he helped me escape."

"What things?"

"I…lost my memory. I got it back though, thanks to Suikotsu and Butter." As she said the creature's name, Butter jumped onto the shoulder and hung there, smiling happily at Jakotsu and the other two Shichinintai members. "But…I don't remember Bankotsu."

"Damnit Suikotsu!" Jakotsu hissed, even angrier than before. "Do you have any idea what you've done? We have a horrible problem with Bankotsu, and you put our only key to saving him in danger and made her lose what she had of him! I'll never forgive you!"

"Jakotsu please!" Kagome begged, not wanting her friend to do anything too rash.

"No Kagome," the kind doctor said sadly, "he's right. I'll take whatever punishment he sees fit."

Jakotsu cracked his knuckles and turned to Kyoukotsu. "Take Kagome into the cave and keep her there. Ginkotsu, keep an eye out for Big Brother, and keep him away from the cave." Kagome wanted to know what had happened to Bankotsu, but she was twice as worried about Suikotsu. She didn't want him to get hurt for a mistake, she'd already forgiven him.

"Please Jakotsu!" she pleaded once more. "I already forgave him!"

"But I haven't," he replied with a dark tone. "He helped to cause Big Brother all that pain. I had to watch him practically starve himself the whole time you were gone! He helped hurt you, and then he comes crawling back here…after breaking so many promises. I can't forgive him like you can. I can't forgive anyone who hurts you or Bankotsu."

Before the young woman could try to stop her friend, Kyoukotsu grabbed her gently and carried her into the cave, tears and all. Ginkotsu also went to the cave entrance to watch for Big Brother, leaving the two Shichinintai members in each others company.

"Ready to take your punishment like a man?" he asked angrily, grabbing his Jakotsutou from where it was strapped on his back.

"If you mean give up and let you kill me..." replied the doctor, grabbing the claw that hung from his side and securing it on to his hand. "…then no."

"I'm not going to kill you," replied the pretty Shichinintai member. "Just cut you into a thousand pieces!"

"Go ahead and try!" As Jakotsu jumped toward Suikotsu, the doctor jumped back, knowing exactly what the other man's weapon could do. He knew very well that he was at a disadvantage, but that didn't matter. He wasn't going to die. Not by Jakotsu's hand. Each time the younger man swung his sword, the older man jumped back, wondering why he hadn't seen the sword true power yet. "Are you too afraid to cause me to bleed?" taunted Suikotsu, though later he would regret the taunt.

"I'm not afraid to shed anyone's blood!" replied the now peeved Jakotsu, swinging his Jakotsutou and revealing its many blades. Suikotsu tried to block them all, but after the first few, he found it far too difficult, and ended up feeling the weapons blades. When Jakotsu pulled his sword back, he smiled at the barely standing Suikotsu, watching the blood fall from the many slice wounds covering his body. "Happy?"

"Ecstatic," replied the wounded man, smiling. He took the chance to leap at the unguarded cross-dresser and slashed him across the chest, before leaping away again.

"Damn you!" Jakotsu hissed, looking down at his now torn clothes. Jakotsu swung his sword again, releasing all of its blades, and Suikotsu evaded most of them, before charging at his enemy and taking another swing at his torso. But as his claws collided with the other Shichinintai member's chest, he felt Jakotsu grab his arm and punch him in the gut. Suikotsu fell to his knees, needing a little time to recover from the shock, and the other man pulled his sword back and prepared to take down Suikotsu.

As he made the swing, the doctor countered the attack with one of his claws and used the other to take another swing at his target, this time cutting him in the side. Jakotsu had jumped away just in time, escaping with a wound that wasn't as deep as it would have been.

Kagome watched the bloody battle from the cave, a horrified expression on her face. She couldn't believe that the two were fighting to the death, all because of her. She wanted to stop them, but Kyoukotsu wasn't going to let her go. He knew Jakotsu wasn't going to stop and he didn't want her to accidentally get harmed. The two men were serious, and they weren't going to quite any time soon.

"You have to let me go and stop them," she told Kyoukotsu, tears falling from his eyes. "Suikotsu isn't that evil…"

"I KNOW," Kyoukotsu replied, a sad expression on his monstrous face. "BUT I CAN'T GO AGAINST JAKOTSU. HE'S VERY ANGRY ALREADY."

Kagome turned her gaze back to the two men and closed her eyes. "Please," she said softly. "Someone stop them…Don't let them kill each other."

Butter, who was sitting beside her and watching Kagome cry again, seemed to get a little peeved as well. She stood up, squeaked at Kagome, and then ran out of the cave, heading toward the two men.

"Just give up and die!" Jakotsu hissed, using his Jakotsutou to hold himself up. He had a number of claw marks on his torso and arms, and his clothes where stained with both his blood and Suikotsu's.

"Forget it," Suikotsu snapped back, leaning against a tree and panting heavily. He was just as bloody as Jakotsu, if not worse. His entire body was covered in nasty cuts and bruises. The two balanced themselves once more and dashed towards each other, determined to make this the final blow. As they were about to collide, Butter jumped in between them and blinded them with a bright light, making them stop and fall to their knees.

"No more fighting," the Forgotten said sternly. The two men looked up at the tiny creature that was glowing radiantly. "Comrades should never fight. Let your feelings of anger leave you. Can't you see how much you're upsetting Kagome?"

The two men looked over at the cave and saw Kagome standing at its mouth, her cheeks stained with tears. "She's been crying so much lately," Suikotsu said sadly, looking away in shame.

"I'm sorry," Jakotsu mumbled coldly, standing up and walking towards Kagome. "I forgive you now."

"Thank you," the young woman whispered to the Forgotten, relieved that the fight had ended.

**OoOoOoOo**

Souta sat quietly in the library, surrounded by books that told him how to perform the ritual he would have to do in order to give Kohaku a new body. He planned to read through every single one until he found what he needed. Rani sat opposite of him, planning the Star Room's layout with the help of Kohaku. The three remained engulfed in their work until someone disturbed them with important information.

"I'm sorry to bother you like this," said a small frog demon, hoping into the library through a small hole in the wall beside the door. "Mukotsu and Renkotsu have returned and are asking where they should put the candles."

"I see," replied Souta, dropping his books carefully. "Tell them to take everything to the throne room. I will meet them there shortly."

"Yes sir!" the demon replied, scampering out of the large room to relay the message.

"A break?" Kohaku asked hopefully, tired of the tedious work. True, he wanted his body, but he could wait.

"Why not?" replied the older lord, a cheerful smile on his face. "We've been working for awhile. Besides, someone needs to tell those two where to put the items."

"I'll wait here," Rani announced, wanting to finish up the layout. After all, she was nearly done.

"That's nonsense, come with me," he insisted.

"But…"

"Come on, it wouldn't be the same without you."

"Okay."

Kohaku eyed his partner suspiciously, immediately realizing that something was up. Whatever it was, he'd ask Souta about it later. When the three reached the throne room, they found Mukotsu and Renkotsu waiting for them with at least 7 dozen candles scattered on the floor. "My lords!" Renkotsu said respectfully, moving from his comfortable position against the wall to Souta's side. "We have brought you the candles as you instructed. Now what?"

"Leave them here," Kohaku said, as he picked up one of the items and examined it carefully. "This is very nice workmen ship…who is responsible?"

"Me, Lord Kohaku," Renkotsu answered modesty.

"I mixed the wax and blood!" the poison master announced suddenly, jumping up and down, wanting reorganization as well.

"And you both have done excellent," laughed the older Lord. "Now go find Yura and get yourselves a squad of demons." The two ex-Shichinintai members stared at Souta hopefully, obviously wanting something more. "And you'll also be given some more jewel shards."

**OoOoOoOo**

The Shichinintai and Kagome had gathered in the cave, Suikotsu sitting as far away from the group as possible, and the rest around a small fire. Their faces were all grim, as if they didn't want to have to speak about the subject they were about to focus on. Jakotsu and Suikotsu were both covered in bandages, but their clothes were still stained in blood.

"Kagome, things aren't good," said the cross-dresser slowly, rubbing the back of his head. "As you already may know, we have a situation."

"What's going on?" the priestess asked hopelessly, leaning forward slightly.

"Just recently really…a girl showed up."

"A girl?"

"She looks exactly like you. Everything is the same really."

Kagome's face turned pale. She knew where this was going and she didn't like it. "What's happening….?"

"Bankotsu thinks she's you. Souta's doing I suppose. She's probably a demon clone or something, but everyone but Big Brother can tell she's not you."

The young girl leaned back, her face erased of any emotion. She'd endured so much, and now she couldn't be with him. All because of a clone, all because of her brother.

"We're hoping you can save him, Gesh," Ginkotsu announced, breaking the silence.

"Save who?" a familiar voice asked. Everyone turned toward the voice to find Bankotsu standing beside the intruder, hand in hand. Kagome's eyes instantly filled with tears when she looked at her lover. It'd been so long since he'd held her in his arms and she'd been dreaming of what he looked like in person, since she had lost her memory. He was more glamorous than ever, and he shined like the sun. "Who's this?"

The young priestess blinked a few times when she realized he was speaking to her. She swallowed all of her tears and prepared to answer.

"A friend," Jakotsu said quickly, before Kagome could answer. He knew she'd tear down if she had to introduce herself.

"Does she have a name?"

"No."

Bankotsu shook his head, thinking the whole thing was really silly and then turned his gaze towards the corner where Suikotsu was standing silently. His cheerful face suddenly turned dark, and he swiftly pushed Kagoma behind him. "What is he doing back?"

"He came back because Souta was through with him. He pretended to betray us so he could keep an eye on Kagome when Souta kidnapped her," Jakotsu lied. He'd tell Bankotsu everything later, but now wasn't the time. They needed to get him away from Kagoma. Kagoma; however, had her eye on Kagome. She knew very well who that woman was, and she was very unhappy by her appearance.

"Bankotsu," the modern priestess said softly. "Do you really not remember me?"

"What are you talking about?" asked the Shichinintai leader, sounding confused. "I've never seen you before. Though, you do look a lot like my Kagoma."

"She looks nothing like me," Kagoma snapped, turning her head from the taller man.

"Bankotsu..It's me…"

"Kagome," Jakotsu intervened. "Wait until later. Please, we'll take care of it slowly…."

"We can't take care of it slowly!" the raven haired girl screamed angrily. "Can't you see that wretch is taking my place? Can't you see what she's planning? If we wait too long, she'll kill me!" Kagome's ranting was cut short when she found herself pinned against the cave wall, held up by the throat by none other than her lover.

"The only one who will kill you is me," he growled. "Don't you ever insult her again. I don't know who you are, and I really don't care." He let her drop roughly on the floor and returned to Kagoma's side, leaving the party in horror. Kagoma smiled evilly at her original and then turned her attention to Bankotsu. Her evil smile turned into a glare when she noticed a small tear falling down the older teen's cheek, causing her heart to skip a beat.

_Could he really remember her?_ Kagome asked herself worriedly; not wanting to lose her knew life. She'd been given life, love, and happiness, all at once. There was no way she'd let her original take it from her. _Guess I'll have to get rid of this girl myself. Bankotsu won't be doing it for me…no matter how much I beg him, and I'd rather not test my limits._

**OoOoOoOo**

Once night arrived, everyone except Jakotsu and Bankotsu sat inside the cave around a small fire, watching the flames dance across the wood surface. Jakotsu had taken his friend away from the excitement, hoping to talk him into believing that the woman he loved was a fake. Kagoma was well aware of this and felt she was being provoked further. While Jakotsu and Bankotsu were gone, she'd kill off the modern priestess and frame it on the others. It didn't matter if nobody else believed her, as long as she had Bankotsu's support, they couldn't touch her.

Kagome sat across from her clone, staring into the flickering flames sadly, not caring that her imposture was sitting opposite of her. She couldn't do anything about it and if she did, she would surely die.

"It must hurt huh?" Kagoma asked her original, a dark smile forming on her face. "I almost pity you." She frowned when she didn't receive a response and became silently fuming. "I said you suck!" she screamed, grabbing a piece of flaming wood and tossing it at Kagome.

"That's enough," Suikotsu hissed, jumping up and knocking the object away before it hit its target. "Sit down and behave."

"You have no authority over me."

"The hell I do."

"Can't you see she'd be happier dead?"

"Shut up!" the Shichinintai member hissed again, standing before the modern priestess and using his body as a shield.

"I don't care about your words," the imposture laughed, her gaze still fixed on Kagome. "That girl needs to die and you won't stop me from achieving my goal." Suikotsu quickly got himself into a fighting stance, preparing to take on the woman who looked just like the woman he loved. "Leave us!" Kagoma lifted her hand and Suikotsu found himself outside the cave along with the other Shichinintai.

"Damnit!" he screamed, trying to run into the cave again, only to be blocked by an invisible barrier. "Kagome, run!"

"KAGOME!" Kyoukotsu also screamed, charging at the barrier with Ginkotsu's help, trying to force open a path for their bodies.

"Try all you like, you'll never break my barrier," the imposture laughed.

"What the hell is happening?" a familiar cranky voice screamed. The three Shichinintai turned to see Jakotsu and Bankotsu running towards them, both men surprised and slightly disturbed.

"Gesh, Kagoma went off on Kagome," Ginkotsu explained. "They're locked in by a barrier."

"Oh no!" the cross-dresser cried, staring at the cave in horror.

"Serves that woman right," Bankotsu said casually, sitting on the ground Indian style and smiling. "This'll be an interesting show. Hopefully Kagoma doesn't need any help. Banryuu's still in the cave."

Kagoma stared at her emotionless original and her cold smile grew. "Now how should I kill you?" She slowly began to approach her opposite, with each step thinking of a new scheme. "How about I tear you limb from limb? Maybe if I devour your heart I can completely become you."

"Kagome!" Butter suddenly hissed, startling the imposture. "Get up and fight!"

"You stupid little creature, why are you still in here?" Kagoma made a reach for Butter but was stopped by a threatening voice.

"Leave her alone," Kagome growled, standing up with her new found courage. "If you're going to fight someone then fight me. I can't hide behind my friends anymore."

"So you've got a back bone. How amusing." She raised her hands into the air and smirked as he nails suddenly grew into long sharp points.

"Butter!" the modern priestess yelled, holding out her hand. "Anglies!" Butter quickly transformed into the lovely winged sword she'd once become and appeared in her masters hands. "I've got a weapon too!"

"But do you know how to use it?" The imposture began slashing at her original, each swing filled with an extreme amount of hate and violence behind it. Each swing ready to be the last. Kagome; however, not very experience in fighting, kept backing up and dodging the hits, trying to think of a strategy to use.

"You can't dodge me forever!" she yelled, leaping into the air and coming down upon her target. Kagome quickly blocked the attack with the Angiles and then swung with all her might, throwing her opponent towards the cave wall. Kagoma responded by hitting the wall with her feet and then shooting herself toward her target again.

Kagome rolled away, missing the collection of claws coming at her and swung her sword, landing a direct hit on the impostures left arm. As the clone pulled away and grabbed her arm, dozens of feathers fluttered around her, accompanied with a soft white light. Ignoring the shining light that filled her wound, she charged toward Kagome again, throwing a series of continuous scratches. After a few minutes she was able to break through her enemies defenseless, and knocked the young priestess to the ground.

She raised her hand into the air and attempting to stab the young girl with her claws, but was interrupting when she found herself being pushed back by a foot. Kagome jumped up and swung the feathered sword again, ignoring the painful scratches that covered her arms and legs, and slicing her clone on the shoulder.

"Damn you!" Kagoma hissed again. "Nightmare!" she screamed, holding up her arms again, and smiling at her clone when a darkness engulfed the young girl.

"What the heck?" Kagome cried when she found herself trapped in a never-ending darkness. She glanced down at the ground when it began to glow purple and jumped back quickly, screaming when it blew up. Where ever she moved, the purple light followed her, each time exploding where she was once standing. She began running, knowing that if she stopped it would be over. _I have to do something! What do I do! I've never done this before!_

_Trust me, _a calm voice said in her mind. _Use the sword to find Kagoma and strike her down. Only then will it end this dark spell. _ The modern priestess began looking around vigorously for something that would alert her of the demon clones whereabouts. She suddenly noticed a part of the darkness that was lighter than all the rest and slightly blurry. With nothing else to go on, she darted toward the blur and hit it with all her strength.

"Ouch!" a voice screamed and suddenly the darkness faded. Kagome looked down to find Kagoma on her knees, holding her stomach where she'd been cut. She was covered in blood and had numerous wounds on her body. "There is no way I'm going to loose to you!" she screamed.

Kagome, who was stunned from her previous actions, failed to noticed the clawed hands coming at her. With one powerful swing, the imposture struck her original across the face and knocked her to the ground. As the priestess fell to the floor, the winged sword slipped from her grip and fell beside her. Before she could crawl away, she found herself in her clones grasp, being held by the throat.

"You're not getting away," the dark woman laughed, her face filled with pain and hate. With one hand she held Kagome up in the air and with the other, prepared to rip her heart out.

"She's mine," a dark voice said, causing her to tremble. The imposture glanced toward the Banryuu which was floating in the air and shooting towards the mouth of the cave. She turned to see the giant halberd in the hands of the Shichinintai leader, who was already walking through the barrier and toward the two women.

"Oh, Bankotsu!" she giggled, feeling relieved. "I've already got her in my grip. Why don't you let me finish her off?"

"I meant you."

"What?" the imposture said in horror, dropping the modern priestess to the ground and staring at the older man in disbelief.

"I remember now," he said softly, yet his voice was still dark and hateful. "I remember all my pain, all of her pain…We'll suffer no longer."

"Bankotsu, please! I love you more than she does! Spare me!"

"Beg me no more." He lifted his halberd into the air effortlessly and swung it, slicing her head off and watching her body fall to the floor. He ignored the blood that splattered his face and slowly approached his wounded lover. "You fought well," he said gently, bending down and pulling her frail body into her arms.

"Bankotsu," she whispered softly, "I remember you." She looked into his loving eyes which reflected the same love that was in her own.

He pulled her closer after hearing her gentle words, almost as if he was afraid she was going to be torn away from him again. "Kagome…" he whispered longingly into her ear, while caressing her soft hands gently.

"How did you know it was me?" the modern priestess asked him, her voice shaky and her cheeks stained with tears. All of her memories had finally returned to her at once and it was more than she could handle. She loved Bankotsu so much, and despite everything that had happened, she hadn't forgotten her love for him.

"I'll never forget what was forgotten."

CHAPTER END

**

* * *

**

**NEXT CHAPTER: Absolute Devotion**

With nothing but her feelings to follow, Kagome sets off with Suikotsu in search of her beloved. But when she finds the man she's been longing to see, she's surprised to find that he doesn't feel the same way! Kagoma decides to take a stand, and put her original to the test…

**

* * *

**

I think the title fit this chapter very well. Most of the characters showed some sort of extreme devotion to somebody else; Jakotsu willing to kill Suikotsu, Kagome fighting for Bankotsu, Suikotsu bringing Kagome home, and Bankotsu saving Kagome. It's funny how that worked out though, it was only supposed to appear with Kagome and Bankotsu. Heheh Oh yeah…that last fight scene…A bit of Kingdom Hearts snuck in there. XD


	25. A Morning Like This Brings Disaster

_Hey guys! Sorry it's been awhile…Actually, I want to apologize for the mistake I made in the last chapter…I forgot to change the summary! ((dies)) I hope you can all forgive me. Well, like many asked, I made that new story, so now I'll be jumping between the two. In any case, it's been awhile since I worked on this…I hope I can still jump into the story again! _

**Disclaimer: ** I do not own any of this story…so don't sue me.

**Warnings: **OOC, mild language

**Key:** "speech" _thought _**flashback _dream_**

**_

* * *

_  
**

**Reviewer Chat**

**Meowmix ()**_"If you are serious... O.oAnd not being weird...then message me so we can talk about this in private please. XP"_

**Drew: **_"Lol, it's okay, I don't mind if you're too lazy or not to review, it's just nice to know that people are actually reading this. It'd suck if I was wasting my time. Lol… Anyways, how am I? Mmmm…pretty good. It's summer for me and I've got a somewhat boring and yet busy one ahead of me. Thanks for asking. XP"_

**Kaioma:**_ "Lol, thanks! That was really quite catchy. XP"_

**Shadow Miko:**_ "Thanks! Sorry it took so long." _

**Sueslalues:** _"I thank you for your compliment! It means a lot. Oooh...Don't lose sleep over my stuff...lol, your health is more important! Thanks for reviewing!"_

**Mikazukiko's..: **_"Thanks for the reviewing and I'm sorry for talking forever!" _

**BadBoysMistress:**_ "Yes it will! Woohoo! Here's that update!"_

**Gizmo369:** _"I'm glad you like it! ((gives you some tissue))"_

**Squishy Penguin: **_"Yup! Together forever!"_

** Kirri Kitty:** _"Thanks for calling me cute...Lol, but don't worry...this Bankotsu's just a poor lost boy looking for love, and he has it."_

**Kilulu: **_"Lol, I'm glad you like my stuff!"_

**George: **_"You are really weird, but I think you're awesome! Thanks for the reviews and don't worry! I'm pretty easy-going!" _

**Animelover:** _"I'm glad you liked it! Thanks for reading!"_

**Cody: **_"Awww...I'm sorry I missed your Birthday...Crazy things were going on...((coughschoolcough)) Can you ever forgive me?"_

**Beverly:** _"I'm glad you could see it! Thanks for the review!"_

**Katherine:** _"Lol, wow! XD Thanks for the review! I'll try and continue to please!"_

**Crimson Angel 437: **_"Ack sorry! I'll reply to that e-mail as soon as I can!"_

**SisterBrother: **"Lol, thanks for the review! Now, is that really two people or one? Lol..."

**Kagome Lady of Darkness:**_ "Okay! Thanks for the review!"_

**Kagome-the-Sugar-baby:** _"Don't worry! It's not ending yet!"_

**Italian Charms 587:** _"I'm glad you like it, thanks for the review!"_

**Miko's Child: **_"I guess you gotta love me now, huh? Lol."_

_

* * *

_

Catch you Catch Kagome

**CHAPTER TWENTY-FIVE: A Morning Like This Brings Disaster Tomorrow**

"**_You can't leave me again!" Kagome screamed at the top of her lungs, tears of anger falling from her eyes. "I won't let you do this!" _**

"_**It's me or your brother," Bankotsu replied calmly, smiling softly at the enraged woman before him. "I have to do this."**_

**_The two were standing in a dark forest, a bright starry sky above them. The sound of a roaring demon could be heard and seen in the distance as the creature came closer, yet the_** **_Shichinintai leader showed little concern for it. _**

"_**Why?" the modern priestess cried, falling to her knees in agony. **_

"_**Because I love you and I owe it to my men…I've been a terrible leader." **_

Kagome opened her eyes and slowly sat up, finding herself in a strange cave. Her sight was blurry and all she could see was the figure of a man standing in the bright light at the mouth of it. She brought her hand to her aching forehead, hoping that her touch would sooth the pain she was feeling. "Who are you?" she asked the figure with a weak voice.

"You collapsed after the fight," the young man said as he began to approach her. "Are you feeling alright?"

_What was that? _ Kagome thought to herself, trying to make sense of the scene she'd just seen. _Was that a dream?_

"Kagome."

"Yes?" she replied, looking up at the man, only to see a blob of colors before her. "I can't see you…"

"Is that so?" he asked, his voice now soft and soothing. "Can you feel me?" He placed his cool hand against her cheek and smiled when her eyes lit up with joy.

"Bankotsu!" she cried happily, jumping into his arms and knocking him over. "I missed you so much! I looked tried so hard, I was so scared!"

He smiled sadly as she buried her face into his chest and wrapped his arms tightly around her body. "It's okay," he soothed. "I'm here. But…what I don't understand is why you keep coming back to me."

"What do you mean?" asked the modern priestess as she pulled away to look at his sad face. "I love you, that's why I come back."

"But I keep making promises…and I keep breaking them." He looked away from her, as if he was ashamed of himself, as if he didn't want her to see the pain and guilt he was feeling.

"Don't hide anything from me," she mumbled, taking hold of his face and looking into his eyes. "I don't care what do you or don't do. I don't care anymore. I love you…and nothing will ever change that. Nothing."

"Likewise," he laughed, suddenly feeling cheered up. "Whenever you say that…it makes me feel so peaceful."

"I'll say it as much as you like," she whispered happily, lying on his chest once more.

**OoOoOoOo**

"Well, things are somewhat back together," Jakotsu mumbled to himself as he watched the couple from outside the cave. "Now we just need to get the rest of the team together." Jakotsu, Suikotsu, Ginkotsu, and Kyoukotsu were all outside the cave making a special breakfast for their tired breakfast and a normal meal for themselves. After the fight and after Kagome had passed out, they'd made a bed for her and began gathering all the broken items and setting up their cave again.

"Don't you think it's kind of odd though?" Suikotsu asked suddenly, as he stirred a giant bowl that was sitting on top of a fire.

"What's odd?" the cross-dresser asked, not showing as much concern as he should have been. Jakotsu was peacefully chopping the vegetables that were being handed to him by an enthusiastic Kyoukotsu. Ginkotsu was sitting beside the main fire, somehow making sure that it didn't get out of control.

"That Souta let me and Kagome escape so easily. I find it rather hard to believe."

"What do you mean? Do you think it's a trap?" Jakotsu inquired, now showing the proper concern as he stopped chopping vegetables. "Should we tell big brother?"

"No, I don't think it's a trap…but rather…he was busy with something else."

"But, what else could hold his attention so strongly?"

"It worries me to think about it."

"JAKOTSU…SUIKOTSU…" boomed Kyoukotsu, his voice deep and menacing yet sad and worried. "CAN WE WAIT BEFORE TELLING BIG BROTHER?"

The four looked toward the cave and noticed how peaceful Kagome and their leader were. The couple hadn't been given very much time alone together and it would be cruel to tear them apart again.

**OoOoOoOo**

Koga lifted his head from the ground and listened to the wind's howl from outside his cave. He'd been gloomy ever since the day Kagome had been captured and when he hadn't reached her in time, he, like Inuyasha and Bankotsu, beat himself up about it. By the time he'd reached them, he was too late. He refused to leave the wolf den, and instead lay inside silently, thinking about that day.

**"Where's Kagome?" Kouga asked loudly as he neared the group, frantic from losing Kagome's scent. Sango and Miroku turned to find him rushing toward them. "Am I too late? I lost Kagome's scent!"**

**"I'm afraid so..." Jakotsu said sadly, standing up slowly.**

**"Inuyasha! What the hell's wrong with you?" the wolf demon hissed, looking at the wounded mutt. **

**"Shut up!" the half demon hissed back. **

**"It's not his fault," a sad and defeated voice said, catching everyone's attention. They all turned their heads to Bankotsu and watched him climb to his feet, still hiding his face from view. "It's mine."**

**"You mean you just let them take her?" the wolf demon asked, growling underneath his breath. He felt like punching the Shichinintai leader as hard as he could, but that feeling went away when he caught a glimpse of Bankotsu's tear stained face. To Kouga, the fact that Bankotsu was crying and not hiding his tears, showed that he really did care for the modern priestess, as much as himself. **

**"What the hell's wrong with me?" Bankotsu asked himself. "What the hell have I done...Why is this happening to us?"**

**Everyone kept silent and listened as the Shichinintai leader beat on himself with cold and cruel words. They knew that there was nothing they could do...they had all lost to Souta and Kohaku. They knew that they may never see Kagome again and because of that, they wouldn't be unable to cheer up the Shichinintai leader. Bankotsu continued screaming at himself, until he became too weak to stand, and collapsed to the ground. Nobody had ever seen the leader in such a state. Bankotsu was broken.**

"I can't stand it…Why do things like this happen to you?" he asked himself, ignoring the sad moans and looks from his fellow wolves. "I just wanted you to be happy."

"Kouga," one of the wolf demons said softly, as they approached their leader slowly. "Kagome…the wolves…say they saw her with the Shichinintai."

Kouga lifted his head suddenly and stared into the demon's eyes hopefully, praying his fellow wolf demon wasn't joking with him. "Are you serious?" Without another word, he jumped up and darted out of the cave, using the power of the jewel shards in his legs to take himself toward the woman he loved, toward Kagome.

**OoOoOoOo**

Kouga wasn't the only demon being depressed due to Kagome's kidnapping. Ever since that day, Inuyasha had been sitting near the well that connected them; he had been wishing that she'd jump out and yell, "Just kidding!" But no longer how long he waited or how long he wished, she hadn't came out. Sango and Miroku had tried countless times to bring him back to the village, but he refused, and even Shippo and Kirara tried their luck at bringing him back.

**"This is incredibly boring," Souta spat out, shaking his head. The battle with the demons and the remaining party had come to a stop, and Bankotsu was being kept from killing the young girl. "It seems you've all done enough damage that I won't need to kill her after all. I can do whatever I want with her now," Souta laughed. "I'll be hiding her scent so that nobody will find her. Thanks for all your help."**

**"Don't you dare leave you coward!" Inuyasha screamed from his place on the ground.**

**"Inuyasha," Souta hissed back. "I don't think you're in any position to tell me what I can and cannot do." The young teen walked over to his wounded sister and lifted her fragile body into his strong arms. "Yura, Mukotsu, Renkotsu...and Kohaku, we're leaving." Sango and Miroku both rushed toward the teen, but were unable to stop him from departing. Before they had a chance to reach him, he was already flying away on top of a feather with Kohaku and his fellow followers. Kohaku was slightly surprised to find that Kagura was the one controlling the feather, meaning that Souta had decided to use the Naraku demons after all.**

Inuyasha didn't want to leave the well but he didn't want to tell them this, he didn't want to worry them; instead, he'd tell them that he wanted to wait for her. He'd tell them that if she happened to escape, she might return to the well and he wanted to be there to help her when she arrives. "I'm going to wait for her," he'd tell them. Day after day he'd tell them this, lying to himself, just so that it wouldn't hurt. It hurt because he'd failed her and true he was competing with Bankotsu, this wasn't something he could blame on the Shichinintai leader. After all, if there was no Kagome, then the two men had no reason to rival against each other.

And even though they were all angry at one another, at themselves, their sorrow was stronger and they left quietly, not speaking a word to the other. Inuyasha lifted his head slowly when he caught the smell of a familiar scent, but the lowered his head. _It's nothing._ He told himself, not believing that the scent he smelt belonged to the woman he loved. "Kagome," he whispered to himself, finding it difficult to ignore the strange feeling inside his gut. "You're back?"

**OoOoOoOo**

Kagome sat up and looked into Bankotsu's sad eyes. "You went through so much, didn't you?"

"What about you?" he asked, sounding just as concerned. "I honestly don't matter…"

"Don't say that!" she snapped, becoming upset. "Of course you matter! You have no idea how much you matter to me. And your men, they're all just as worried about you. Bankotsu, don't you ever say anything like that ever again. I don't care what happens…"

"Kagome," he said softly, taking hold of her hand and wiping away her tears. "Please don't cry anymore…"

"You've changed so much from the beginning…You're not the same…You're…"

"Broken…?" he inquired quietly. When Kagome looked up at him, a shocked look on her face, she found him looking away shamefully. "You would be too…I've let down my men…I've let you down…I've broken so many promises…"

"Please Bankotsu," she cried, hugging him once more. "I want you to be yourself again…Let me help, let me help to repair you. I'll do anything."

He looked down at her and smiled. "Then let me continue to protect you." Before she could respond, he lowered his head and kissed her gently. His kiss was filled with so many different emotions, love, sorrow, guilt, regret, and possession. When they parted, his eyes were shining like they once had, and he had a sincere peaceful smile. "If it makes you happy, me being like how I was…Knowing that you still love me, I can be happy again."

"I'll always love you…forever and ever."

"KAGOME!" two loud but familiar voices screamed from outside the cave, catching the couple's attention. "WHERE ARE YOU?"

"Inuyasha? Kouga?" Kagome asked suddenly, becoming confused. "What are they doing here?"

"Do you want to see them?" asked Bankotsu, soundly slightly worried.

"Would it bother you?"

"Well, I guess I can't hog you completely," he laughed gently, standing up and helping her to her feet as well. "Go and see them, we can be together again later."

"Okay."

When Kagome ran outside, she found Jakotsu and Suikotsu holding back two angry demons, both of them yelling about seeing their beloved modern priestess again. "Hi guys," she said softly, giving them her sweetest smile.

"Kagome," Inuyasha whispered as he felt himself go limp in Jakotsu's arms. The sight of her made his body feel relaxed and he was relieved that she was okay. "You're safe…"

"Kagome!" Kouga hissed angrily, pushing Suikotsu away with all his might and running over to the young woman. "Are you really okay? Are you unharmed?"

"Kouga, I'm fine…Really!" she laughed uneasily, not wanting to worry him further.

"I'm sorry!" he yelled out suddenly, grabbing her and pulling her into an embrace. "I said I'd leave but I just couldn't…I had to come."

"It's alright," she whispered softly into his ear, knowing that their situation was a bit awkward.

"I'm glad you're safe." He pulled away and looked her in the eyes, but before he could say anything else, he was roughly pushed aside by a worried and irritated Inuyasha.

"Kagome!" Inuyasha cried as he pulled her into his arms, not wanting to release her again. "I'm so sorry! I'm so sorry I couldn't protect you!"

"Calm down," she laughed, hugging him back. "I'm fine."

"You're not mad?"

"Nope!" He smiled contently and released her slowly. "But Inuyasha…I'd like to talk to you in private."

"W-what?"

**OoOoOoOo**

Souta stood in his dark room, thinking about his next meeting with his sister, thinking about how he'll go about sealing her in ice. As he stood around deep in thought, he failed to notice his door opening and closing. _After I seal her…I'll destroy everyone else and then give Kohaku his new body. Afterwards…he'll be strong enough to turn her into a half demon. Then…she won't be able to return home. _

"Souta?" Rani asked softly, hoping that she wouldn't startle him too much.

"Rani?" he asked in surprise as he turned around swiftly. "What are you doing here?"

"I just…Everything's set up."

"Rani?"

"I wanted to tell you personally. I'm sorry for bothering you my Lord." As she turned to leave, Souta suddenly grabbed her by the wrist and pulled her into his arms. "Lord Souta?" she asked in shock as he wrapped his arms around her slender body.

"What seems to be the problem? Why are you acting so distant?"

"Souta…"

"If you want something, just ask."

Rani suddenly pushed him away and turned towards him with tear filled eyes, leaving him completely confused. "I…Nevermind."

"What? What is it? Why are you crying?"

"Oh Souta…I love you so much!" she sobbed, covering her face with her sleeve, not wanting him to see her. "I don't think you understand how much I love you. I'd do anything for you. Anything…and it seems like…"

"It seems like I don't love you, right?" he asked as he gently took her in his arms once more. "I do…I'm just…I'm sorry…"

"Souta?" she asked, now her turn to be surprised as his buried his face in her hair and held her tight. His voice was hoarse and he was shaking, as if he was crying and hiding his face from view.

"I really do love you…I just don't know how to express it…" _It's a lie…I feel nothing but guilt. I want to love you….but I can't… _

Though Souta was lying to her, trying to make her believe him so she didn't feel any pain, she new the truth. She could tell that he was hesitant to speak and she already knew how he felt. Maybe that's why it hurt so much. "When do you want to start the ritual…?" She felt his grip tighten, somewhat protectively as he shook his head.

"Don't even mention it," he mumbled, sounding lost and hopeless. "I don't want to think about it." He let go slowly and pulled away, careful to hide his face. "I want you to do something for me…"

"What?" she asked, worried by his behavior.

"I want you to stay with me." And as he said this, he turned to her, revealing his tear stained face and his eyes that were filled with such sorrow. "Stay with me…until the end."

"Lord Souta, I'll stay with you…forever." And with her aching heart, she meant every word, and she felt the love for him in her heart as it overwhelmed her, and once again, tears were falling from her eyes. She would never leave his side, ever.

**OoOoOoOo**

Yura sat outside the castle in the grass looking up at the clouds in peace. All of her thoughts were on Souta, the man who had saved her from death and given her a purpose. The brother of the horrible woman who had not only killed her, but then became her friend.

"But I suppose you'll never be able to love anyone other than your sister," she said softly to herself. "It just is…you're still but a little boy." She stood up slowly and smiled a bit, somewhat amused at how easy it was to let go. Maybe it was because she was scared, because she knew that if she got to close she'd get burned. It was obvious to everyone, that Rani had sealed her fate by becoming so close to the young master. But sometimes, Yura wondered if Rani really understood what it meant to love Souta.

Loving Souta was like loving death. One never knew when he would snap, what he was planning, or if he was really as kind hearted as he made himself out to be. What were his servants and the countless beings he saved to him? Were they friends, trusted minions, or just pawns in his game?

"Rani…I hope this is really what you want."

**OoOoOoOo**

Renkotsu and Mukotsu sat in their room preparing for the ritual that was to start as soon as Souta gave word. They were to stand watch and guard the area from any intruders, seeing how the ritual would be extremely important for Kohaku to get his new body. Once Kohaku was given his new body, the two would be given unbelievable power and trust. They would be able to have anything and everything they desired.

"Renkotsu?" Mukotsu mumbled from his spot at the window, staring out at the grassy view before them. "Do you think we're okay?"

"What do you mean?" inquired Renkotsu as he sat on his bed reading, not bothering to look up at his friend. "We're fine."

"No, I mean…do you think we were right to just abandon Bankotsu like that?"

"Mukotsu," Renkotsu said gently, placing his book down and turning toward the small poison master. "Even you were fed up with him. He doesn't give a damn about us, you know that."

"But still…We're completely betraying him. You do realize Souta means to destroy him later, don't you?"

"Yes, but why should we care? Our honor no longer lies with Big Brother."

"Your honor was never with him."

"Hahah!" Renkotsu laughed, knowing that what Mukotsu had said was all too true. Renkotsu had never really been completely for Bankotsu, not like Jakotsu and Suikotsu. Suikotsu, now that's a laugh!"

"I don't know…he was bold to take Kagome and run off…"

"Bold?" Renkotsu laughed again, this time even more amused than the last. "He was a coward. He was so afraid of Bankotsu that he grabbed the wench and took her back. Such a pathetic man."

Mukotsu looked away from Renkotsu and shook his head in shame. _I don't know…I'm angry with him…but at the same time…_ "The power being offered to us is way better than anything Brother Bankotsu could give."

**OoOoOoOo**

Inuyasha watched Kagome nervously as they walked away from the group and toward the village. Once they were out of listening range, Kagome plopped herself down on the grass and motioned for Inuyasha to do the same. When the two were comfortable and after a few minutes passed, Inuyasha decided to ask what she wanted to speak about, the curiosity was killing him.

"Uh…Kagome?" he inquired slowly, trying to think of the words he needed to use. "What's this all about?"

"We haven't been alone together in a long time," she said softly, staring out at the village in the distance. "It reminds me…"

"I think I know what this is about," he mumbled, standing up quickly. "I don't want to hear it."

"Inuyasha." Kagome's voice had become stern and forceful, yet her eyes were watery. "I've made up my mind. I can't love you both."

"I understand."

"Please," she cried, jumping up and hugging him around the waist. "Please don't be angry…Please…"

"You don't have to worry." His surprisingly calm voice startled her, and she looked up to find two glassy eyes looking down at her. "I'll always love you…And if anything ever happens…I'll always be here."

"Oh Inuyasha! Don't wait around for me, move on!"

"We'll see what happens…Kagome."

**OoOoOoOo**

Kohaku stood in the library at the window, looking up at the sky, a dark smile on his face. "Well Souta, you'll be helping me get my body soon…and we'll be together forever. This world will be ours and you will never be unhappy again. I'll have the power to do anything and to make sure of that, together we will collect the jewel of four souls together and I will make you a demon with it."

Kohaku gently placed his hand on the glass, smiling as he felt the coldness of it against his palm. "I'll get my revenge on Inuyasha and his brother…defeat the band of seven…" He suddenly put his nails against the glass and scratched it slowly, making a loud and deafening screech. "…and destroy your sister."

"Kohaku?" a voice from behind the library door called. "Are you in there?"

"Yes, what do you want?"

"It's a message from Souta, sir. He asks that we wait until tomorrow to begin the ritual."

"I see…Tell him I'm fine with it." As soon as Kohaku was sure the messenger had left, he began to chuckle evilly. "I see Souta…Take your time. After all, nobody but us know what you'll be doing tomorrow…"

CHAPTER END

**OOOOOOOOOOO**

**NEXT CHAPTER: Party Crashers**

Bankotsu decides to gather everyone together and attack Souta and Kohaku when they're least expecting it! Or are they expecting it? With old foes and the beginning of a new one, will they be able to reach Souta and Kohaku in time to stop the creation of a new enemy?

**OOOOOOOOOOOOO**

_This chapter was pretty much just a peaceful rest for our entire cast. They won't be getting another one like this, since we're nearing the end of the story. Now don't get all crazy on me, we've still got some chapters to go. I don't know how many really, but enough to keep me busy. So everyone, put on your happy faces! Cuz these next chapters are going to get worse in the drama department, but trust me, for the most part…the story will work out, and you'll love me! I hope…_


	26. Party Crashers

Yeah, I'm randomly all better...actually, it was a mix of talking and you guys, for the full story, check my profile again! P And for those of you who won't well, please know this. He isn't a jerk...it's just me being a silly girl. Uhmmm...yeah. On with the chapter! I sure hope I don't disappoint you guys with it...

**------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- **

**Disclaimer: ** I do not own any of this story…so don't sue me.

**Warnings: **OOC, mild language

**Key:** "speech" _thought _**flashback _dream  
_**

_**Reviewer Chat  
**_

**LynGreenTea: **_Thanks a lot, that really actually means a lot to me. _

**MewoMix: **_Wow, that was really sweet, thanks. And, I'm sorry you feel all hurt. You'll forgive me won't you? Anyways, thanks for being so sweet._

**Pinksugaz: **Thanks a lot, I'm glad you like it. Ehehe...when you guys call him a jerk it makes me laugh. Sorry. And thanks for caring!

**I love you guys!)**

**---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- **

Catch you Catch Kagome

**CHAPTER TWENTY-SIX: Party Crashers**

After their short conversation, Kagome and Inuyasha came back to find everyone sitting in the cave discussing something. Kagome knew she should probably find out what they were talking about, but there was something else on her mind. "Where's Butter?" she asked, beginning to look around frantically.

"Who?" asked Inuyasha, who was becoming confused. "Isn't that the name of some food?"

"No, it's my Forgotten."

"Your what?"

Kagome ignored the half demon's repetitive question and continued searching for her small mouse friend. "Butter!" she called out hopelessly, wondering where her darling had run off to. After a few minutes of calling out, she heard a soft squeak from near a patch of bushes. "Butter?" She carefully wandered over to the bushes and began digging. It wasn't long before the Forgotten jumped out of the bush and into her arms, knocking Kagome down and startling Inuyasha.

"What IS that?" he cried in alarm.

"This is my baby…" replied the priestess, cuddling the animal tightly. "Where did you go? Why were you hiding in there?"

"Tired," Butter replied, rubbing her sleepy eyes with her small little hands. "Very Tired."

"You really worried me."

"Sorry."

**OoOoOoOo**

"We believe that Souta is up to something," Jakotsu told theShichinintai leader with a serious expression, hiding his worried one. "Suikotsu was able to escape with Kagome far too easily."

"You may be right," Bankotsu replied slowly, rubbing the back of his head in thought. "Suikotsu? How often did you see Kohaku?"

"Not often, why?" inquired Suikotsu, curious as to what his leader was thinking.

"DO YOU THINK IT HAD TO DO WITH HIM?" boomed Kyoukotsu inquisitively.

"Yes, I do…"

"I'm sorry Bankotsu," Suikotsu said, lowering his head in shame. "I had only gone to protect Kagome, so I wasn't able to become close to Souta or Kohaku."

"The only ones that could tell us what's going on have completely betrayed us," Jakotsu growled, making a fist and then slamming it against the cave wall.

"Calm down Jakotsu," soothed Bankotsu. "It doesn't matter what they're going to do. Suikotsu knows where the castle is, we're going to drop in for a visit."

"You mean a surprise attack, gesh?" Ginkotsu asked hopefully.

"ME LIKE SURPRISES."

"Of course, they may already know what we're thinking…so we're going to have to be on our guard," Bankotsu pointed out. "Okay, I'll make the announcement." Bankotsu headed out the cave with the remaining Shichinintai following behind him and stood before Kagome and Inuyasha. "Where's Kouga?"

"Right here," came a muffled voice as the wolf demon appeared from inside the forest carrying a handful of fish. "I figured we'd want dinner so I decided to go get some for us myself. Of course, Kagome gets first pick."

"The Shichinintai are attacking Souta's castle tomorrow morning. He's planning something and we're going to crash it. Who's with us?"

"I definitely am!" Kouga screamed loudly, dropping the fish onto the ground and showing that he was pumped up to fight.

"I'll get the others and meet you guys here tomorrow?" inquired Inuyasha, rather seriously.

"Sounds like a plan."

"Then, I'll be back in the morning," the half demon said as he turned and began running toward the village. "You'd better not leave without me Bankotsu!"

Kagome glanced down at the ground, suddenly remembering the conversation she had with Inuyasha and turned to Bankotsu. "If we're leaving tomorrow…then we need to talk."

Kagome and Bankotsu stepped into the forest and stood near the trees where they could be seen but not heard. Kagome stared at the ground uneasily, feeling somewhat shy because of what she was about to say. "Bankotsu, I've made my choice."

"What?" asked the confused Shichinintai leader, not having any idea whatsoever of the topic they had begun. "What choice?"

"It took a long time for me to decide, but I've finally figured it out," she continued, ignoring his question. "I love you Bankotsu."

Bankotsu suddenly felt his body go stiff. He'd been fighting against Inuyasha for so long and now he'd won. She was his. "Kagome…I…I'm happy," he managed to say with a smile. "When all this is over, won't you stay with me?"

Kagome looked down at her shoes and began to play with her skirt nervously. "Well, I can't stay here all the time. I don't know really."

"Then I'll go wherever you go."

"I don't think you can."

"Why not?"

"Inuyasha was the only one who could follow me." Kagome took the time to explain her situation with the shards and the well to Bankotsu, leaving him quite shocked. When she finished, she couldn't help but giggle at his dumb expression.

"Y-you're from the future?"

"Kinda," she replied with a giddy smile, knowing that she sounded insane. "You don't believe me?"

"No," he mumbled slowly, "It's just…"

"Crazy?"

"Well, yeah."

"Well then…Sleep on it. I'm going to bed!"

**OoOoOoOo**

The next morning Kagome was woken suddenly by a loud screaming from outside the cave. She quickly grabbed her belongings and ran out to see what the noise was, only to find Bankotsu and Kouga at each others throats.

"Are you crazy?" an enraged Kouga screamed at the Shichinintai leader. "It's not safe! You shouldn't take her along!"

"And you think I'm going to just leave her here for you to take care of? She's safer with me!" Bankotsu snapped back, sounding just as angry as the wolf demon.

"You're the one who kept losing her!"

"You were never there to help!"

"Uhmmm…guys?" Kagome said uneasily, wanting the fight to stop. "I don't care what either of you say. I'm going because Souta is my brother."

"Good," Bankotsu said happily, smiling cheerfully. "Then let's meet the others."

"The others?" Kagome asked, sounding somewhat confused. "Where are they?"

"That village of yours," Kouga replied in a grumpy voice. "Everyone went to go meet them there."

"Wait for me!" a small voice said from inside the cave and soon Butter appeared running toward her beloved master. "Kagome!"

"Butter?" Kagome said in a happy confusion as the mouse jumped into her arms. "Where have you been?"

"Asleep!" replied the Forgotten, pleased to be safe in Kagome's arms.

"That's right…Now that I received the rest of my memory, Butter has no connection to me," the modern priestess said to herself sadly. "But don't worry, I won't abandon you!" _Just because now I can't go super Kagome doesn't mean I'd throw you away…I didn't like doing it anyways, it made you too tired. Besides, I'm much stronger now. _

"Kagome, would you like to go now?" inquired Bankotsu, wanting to find Souta as fast as possible.

"Yeah."

The three began toward the village quickly and their walk was a quiet and awkward one. Kouga tried his best to not flip out when Bankotsu walked with his arm around the younger girl, and Kagome tried her best not to freak out and go into a blush fit, while Butter tried her best to keep up with the three. Upon reaching the village, they found the group waiting patiently for them to show up. Once they were all together, the set out for Souta's Castle, following the lead of Kagome and Suikotsu.

**OoOoOoOo**

Souta sat in the library staring out the window, watching the birds fly by in the sky, watching the clouds pass by slowly. He felt at peace with himself, being undisturbed in a room filled with books containing a vast amount of knowledge. Today was the day he would lose something dear but gain something great, and though it made him sad, he was willing to take the greatness that was to come.

Afterward, he would find his sister and make her his once and for all; everything seemed like it'd work out in the end, but a strange gut feeling worried him. Souta suddenly found himself unable to relax and soon found it necessary to call for Kohaku's assistance.

He moved from his comfortable seat at the table and went to the open door where a servant was waiting. "I wish for you to bring Kohaku," he told the servant in a dull voice.

"Understood."

As soon as Kohaku arrived, he found Souta sitting on the ground beneath the window, curled up in a ball. Even though Kohaku was looking forward to receiving a new body, he couldn't help but worry about his friend. If it had been anyone else, he'd probably kill them for making him wait. "Souta," he said gently as he approached the sullen young man. "Are you feeling well?"

"No," Souta replied gloomily. "I'm scared…and…"

"Heartbroken?"

"Yes."

"Souta, if this is too hard, we can find another girl."

"There's no time. They're coming."

Kohaku became silent, for once realizing how much he meant to Souta. This Souta, not the real Souta…it was that fact that made him feel empty inside. What the demon inside Kohaku wanted most was to be loved. Even if this Souta wasn't the real one, he was willing to give up something that was almost as important as his life, just to make his friend happy.

Kohaku kneeled down beside the young man and rested his head on his shoulder. "Souta…I've been awful to you, yet you still…" he mumbled sadly, shaking his head back and forth. "I don't ever want to lose you."

Souta put his hand on the younger boys head and smiled softly. "You're also the best friend I've ever had. I'd give you almost anything."

Kohaku's face grew sadder and the child inside him took control and embraced Souta firmly and let his tears fall. For the first time, Ryuukotsusei was crying for a human. "Don't say that!" he sobbed. "I've been awful and it was because you were a human. I didn't think I could ever feel this way about you, I didn't ever think we'd become friends!"

Souta let out a small snicker and patted Kohaku's head again. "You're more than a friend, Kohaku…" he said softly, making Kohaku lift his head to look him in the eye. "…you're like a brother."

"How can you say that? I forced you to do everything! You can't tell me that you don't remember that…"

"Kohaku, if I didn't want to be with you…wouldn't I be fighting?" Souta asked. He left Kohaku on the floor in confusion and quickly stood up. "I'll go send Yura out with some demons."

Kohaku sat on the floor silently, unable to respond. Instead he asked, "Is there anything I can do for you?"

Souta paused and then turned to him. "What's your name?" he asked, "your real name."

"It's…Ryuukotsusei."

"I see, thank you."

Souta left the library and headed toward his room. When he reached his room was surprised to find Rani waiting at his door. "Lord Souta!" she said in a hurried voice, looking like she felt rather awkward. "E-everything's ready, we're just waiting on you and Kohaku now."

"That's good," he said mindlessly as he walked past her. "Go somewhere safe."

"Yes…sir…"

When Souta found Yura, she was outside the castle, looking up at the clouds like she often had. "Yura," he said with a professional tone, "I need you to take the demons and keep the intruders away until the ritual is complete."

"Intruders?" Yura asked in confusion, not thinking that anyone had broken into the castle.

"They're not here yet, but they will be in about an hour. Keep them away…if you happen to kill Kagome that's fine, just don't destroy her body or I won't be able to revive her."

"Understood."

**OoOoOoOo**

When Kagome and company arrived at the castle they were met by a large army of various demons. As they stood before the castle, it seemed that only the demons were in their way, which was quite a pleasant thought for Bankotsu.

"Alright guys," he said calmly, a large smirk growing on his face. "Let's kill us some demons!"

"Alright! Some real fighting!" yelled Jakotsu happily, content to finally be killing something.

"ME CRUSH ENEMIES," boomed Kyoukotsu.

"Yeah yeah," Inuyasha mumbled in a gruff voice. "Just don't get yourselves killed."

As the groups split up, Inuyasha taking Sango, Miroku, Shippo, and Kirara; Bankotsu with Kagome, Jakotsu, and Suikotsu; and Kouga with Ginkotsu and Kyoukotsu; Yura stood at the top of the castle, looking down at the party.

She glared down at the people with hate in her eyes, seeing how they were easily disposing of her demons and not paying any mind to her presence. "I guess I'd better lead the next group…" she mumbled carelessly to herself, brushing her hand through her short hair. "I suppose I'll go easy on them."

"That's the last of them," Bankotsu mumbled as he swung his Banryuu at a couple demons, killing them instantly. He glanced around the area, seeing only blood and dead bodies before pulling Kagome close. "I have a feeling this isn't over…stay close."

"You're right," Yura said from her place on top of the castle. "I'm sorry, but I'll be taking the girl and all of your lives." She placed her hands on the strange bow that was tied to her waste and smiled darkly.

"Fat chance!" an angry Inuyasha growled, jumping in front of Kagome and Bankotsu. "Bankotsu, you protect Kagome, I'll take care of that wench."

"Fine by me," replied the Shichinintai leader, wrapping his arm around the modern priestess. "She'll be safe with me."

"It won't be so easy," laughed Yura before letting out a small low whistle. Another demonic army burst out of the castle doors and twice as many demons as before appeared before them. "Go get that girl."

Without much else he could do, Bankotsu was forced to scoop Kagome into his arms and run as fast as he could to get away from the demons chasing them. He was sure he could take them on, but he didn't want to chance a demon getting through to her. "Everyone!" he yelled as he ran toward the Shichinintai and Inuyasha's team, "Shichinintai get in a circle!"

Jakotsu, Suikotsu, Kyoukotsu, and Ginkotsu made a circle, and realizing what the Shichinintai leader was planning, Miroku, Kirara and Sango ran inside of it as Kouga joined the Shichinintai in making the circle. When Bankotsu reached them, he put Kagome into the circle beside the three inside. "Alright Kagome, your three friends will protect you if any demons gets inside. The rest of us will keep them away." Bankotsu joined the outside just in time to help fight of a wave of demons.

"Let's just hope Inuyasha can kill Yura by himself," Jakotsu mumbled as he watched Inuyasha staring up at the castle at Yura.

"Am I such a meaningless enemy that you think only one person can kill me?" Yura asked hatefully as she stared down at the half demon below.

"Not going how you planned?" Inuyasha laughed as he took the Tetsusaiga into his hands and prepared to attack. "I killed you once before but this time I don't need to get Kagome involved."

Without warning, the hair demon quickly pulled the bow from her side and strung it. She watched with anticipation as Inuyasha climbed up the castle before forming an arrow from her hair and pointing it at him. As soon as he appeared before her she released her arrow and to his surprise he easily dodged it. "What was that?" he asked with an amused voice as he landed in front of her on the roof. Yura looked up and found that there was still much castle to be climbed and starting heading up with Inuyasha hot on her trail.

Once again she stopped with her arrow pointing at Inuyasha and when she shot it, began climbing up the castle again. "This is ridiculous," Inuyasha muttered before cutting her off and stopping her from climbing any higher. "Are you going to fight or run away?"

"Fight?" Yura asked with another dark smile. "If that's what you want." She formed another arrow and shot it at the half demon, only for him to catch it. He was about to say something but when he tried to throw the arrow it stuck to his hand and it wasn't long before he realized that the hair forming it was now covering his entire arm. Yura jumped off the castle onto some invisible hair and began to laugh. "Each shot had about a hundred hairs in them and are now strung all around this castle for my use," she explained, crossing her arms in a proud manner.

"I think this is crap," Inuyasha hissed and he used the Tetsusaiga to cut his arm free. _I can't use the Wind Scar up here…I'll have to find a way to get her on the ground…_ When Inuyasha heard something from behind him, he turned swiftly and was surprised to find Butter sitting on the roof looking up at him. "When you- How did you-" Inuyasha was suddenly cut off by a wave of arrows which continued to chase him even after being avoided. As he climbed the castle trying to avoid the arrows he couldn't help but assume that the arrows were attached to him by another string of some kind.

"Stop and spin!" he heard Butter yell and without much else to do, he did as she said. When he spun the arrows went with him and it wasn't long before they hung limp at his side.

"Thanks," he told the small creature, snapping the hairs that were tied around his body. _How am I supposed to get her down…?_ "I've got it!" he suddenly yelled, as an idea flashed through his mind. He looked down at Yura to find her shooting more arrows at him and smiled. As he climbed down the castle to where she was, he was careful to avoid her shots completely and when he was vertical with her, he stopped to laugh at her. "You keep missing," he chuckled.

"I'll show you missing," she growled, shooting another series of shots at him. When Inuyasha felt a pair of tiny strings attached to his body, he began running toward Yura and then took a daring leap off of the castle. As he began to fall, he made sure he grabbed Yura by the hand and pulled her down with him.

When the two hit the ground, the strings controlling the arrows snapped and Yura found herself trapped beneath an angry Inuyasha. "It's over," he said as he picked up his sword and stabbed it through her chest.

"I hate you," she muttered before her body began to melt away. As soon as she was gone, Inuyasha stood up and turned to the demons surrounding his friends and ran toward them to help.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

**NEXT CHAPTER: Traitors**

With Yura and her demons out of the way, Mukotsu and Renkotsu make their appearance and the party has to battle yet again. Will Bankotsu be kind enough to forgive his two men or will he cut them down like any other enemy?

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Wow, that chapter preview is really cheesy. It's like, the kind of cheese that melts in your mouth. Woah. Yeah. Okay, I really do love you guys! T . T


	27. Traitors

FINALLY! I know, it's about time. It's only been like...woah...a little over two years. But as I promised once upon a time, this story will have an end. It actually took me longer than it should have, but you gotta think, I've haven't worked on this since High School. That's a lot of story plots for me to remember. My style of writing may have changed and some possible story plots may have been left out, I got as many as I could remember. I do hope you don't mind any changes. The next update will be next Monday, so I won't be putting the story on hold any longer.

Thanks for putting up with the long wait, enjoy! =3

**------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------**

**Disclaimer: ** I do not own any of this story…so don't sue me.

**Warnings: **OOC, mild language

**Key:** "speech" _thought _**flashback **_**dream**_

**------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------**

Catch you Catch Kagome

**CHAPTER TWENTY-SEVEN: Traitors**

"I'll show you missing," she growled, shooting another series of shots at him. When Inuyasha felt a pair of tiny strings attached to his body, he began running toward Yura and then took a daring leap off of the castle. As he began to fall, he made sure he grabbed Yura by the hand and pulled her down with him.

When the two hit the ground, the strings controlling the arrows snapped and Yura found herself trapped beneath an angry Inuyasha. "It's over," he said as he picked up his sword and stabbed it through her chest.

"I hate you," she muttered before her body began to melt away. As soon as she was gone, Inuyasha stood up and turned to the demons surrounding his friends and ran toward them to help.

**OoOoOoOo**

"I'm not so useless that I can't help fight too," Kagome said to Bankotsu, "if I only had my bow and arrow…" Kagome hated the fact that she was forced to rely on her friends for protection, yet she was very grateful that they all loved her as much as they did.

Bankotsu, knowing exactly what Kagome was thinking, glanced back at her and flashed a smile at her. "Don't worry about it," he said calmly as he struck a demon down effortlessly with Banryuu. "Just keep out of trouble." Unfortunately Bankotsu's Shichinintai circle failed and before they knew it numerous demons had managed to slip past the five members, and Miroku, Sango, and Kirara were having a difficult time keeping them from Kagome.

Realizing that their plan was failing, Jakotsu decided that the group should split up. "Big Brother," he grunted as he pushed one of the many demons trying to penetrate the Shichinintai's defenses back. "It might be best if you took Kagome and made a run for the castle's doors."

"I agree," Suikotsu said, wanting both Bankotsu and Kagome further from the mass of demons. Everyone forming the circle and within the circle agreed the plan was a good one and Bankotsu grabbed Kagome by the hand and forced his way through the army of demons. He spun his Banryuu with such force that anything that was not blown away by the halberd's power was cut to pieces. As he walked forward, careful to keep Kagome right behind him, his new allies and teammates kept close as well, making sure to protect the two from the back.

As soon as Bankotsu reached the castle doors, he roughly forced Kagome to his front and opened the doors, pushing her in first and quickly following. Once the two were inside, Jakotsu closed it from the outside and turned to the large mass of demons gathering in the front of the castle. "Alright, let's get rid of these guys and join Big Brother," Jakotsu said with confidence, licking his Jakotsutou.

"I'm counting on you, Kagome…" Sango mumbled, glancing back at the castle doors.

**OoOoOoOo**

Kagome clung to Bankotsu's chest, shaking in fear from the previous events and from what was to come. She did not look forward to seeing her crazed brother again, but at the same time, longed to see him. As an older sister she knew she had to be strong, but her strength was beginning to leave her. "Hey, sorry I handled you so roughly," Bankotsu said apologetically, pushing her away from him slightly and bending down to look her in the face. "You okay?"

"Yeah," she replied, looking up at him with a forced smile. "I'm fine." She glanced around, noticing that the castle was different than before. There was no longer a feeling of sanity and it was darker than usual. The darkness could have been attributed by the lack of lighting at the moment in time, but the atmosphere also carried the feeling of extreme evil.

"You don't have to pretend with me. It's okay to be scared." Bankotsu took hold of Kagome's face and looked her in the eyes sternly.

"Are you ever scared, Bankotsu?"

Bankotsu stopped at these words and thought hard about them. Had he ever been scared? He could not say battle had scared him and he was more angry than scared when he and his men were killed before. "Yes, but not of death," he answered. After all, he had died once. There was nothing scary about death.

"What of?"

"Of losing you," he laughed, pulling her into an embrace. "This probably isn't the right time, but…no, never mind."

"What is it Bankotsu?" Kagome could feel that Bankotsu wanted to say more, but something was holding him back. She looked deep into his eyes, searching for something more. Suddenly she felt herself melting into his gaze, everything felt so right. She laid her head against his chest and listened to the beat of his heart through his cold armor. She no longer felt the anxiety of seeing her brother again. She only felt love.

"When this is over, I want to show you how much I love you."

Kagome froze when she heard his words. Had she heard correctly? "Bankotsu?" she asked in confusion, pulling away to look at his expression. All she found in his face was love and sincerity.

"After all we've been through I want to show you how much you mean to me. I want you to know how much I love you."

"That's so sweet, it's a shame this will never be over," a familiar and eerie voice suddenly spoke out. This would be the last time Bankotsu and Kagome would be alone for a while. "Good to see you again, Big Brother." Mukotsu stepped out of the shadows with a sly grin on his face, followed closely by an even more sinister Renkotsu.

"We're sorry to cut your love talk short, but we have strict orders from Lord Souta. We're not to let you pass," Renkotsu announced, pulling out his bottle of liquid fire and preparing for battle.

"Men…" Bankotsu mumbled beneath his breath as he focused his eyes on his two traitorous men. "It has been a while. Are you well?"

Bankotsu's question quickly confused the two Shichinintai. They expected their former leader to respond to them in his usual malicious manner. After all, he had every right. But instead Bankotsu spoke to them in a soft, caring voice. He was beginning to act like a more mature leader; their young leader was growing up.

"Don't think you talk cozy to us!" Mukotsu snarled, much irked at Bankotu's compassion.

"In reality it is I who should feel that way. After all, it was me who you betrayed. Not to mention my Banryuu and Kagome you stole," came the harsh reply they had expected from the beginning; however, Bankotsu was about to give them even more new surprises. "But really…I can't blame you. If I were in your position, I would probably have done the same."

"Oh please, don't even try to understand us," Renkotsu snapped, assuming the young man was trying some new mind game on him. "You didn't care about us at all."

"You're right."

Even though Renkotsu and Mukotsu knew this, the words still stung; the fact that Bankotsu had acknowledged this hurt them.

"When I think about all of the years I spent with you I feel angry. All of my time was spent protecting and following someone who couldn't care less about me," Renkotsu replied. "It was a waste of my life."

"I was a terrible leader, and I'm sorry."

"No no no no no, we're finished. You can't have us back, no matter how much you beg," Mukotsu laughed, thinking he had just gained some power. If their leader really was hoping to recruit them again, especially if he were sincere about it, declining his request would be a major blow to his ego.

"I'm not asking for you to come back," Bankotsu answered, immediately putting an end to any plans Mukotsu was thinking up. "I'm asking for you to let it go and stand down. I must deal with Souta, and I will not let you prevent me from doing that. So, in other words, I'm giving you the opportunity to back off." Renkotsu and Mukotsu listened carefully to Bankotsu's words. "Even though you were both once my men, and even though I deeply regret the way I have treated you in the past, I will not hold back if I must kill you."

"Ohohoh, you sure seem confident! Let's see if you're talk is all you-" Mukotsu was suddenly cut off by Renkotsu.

"What if we decide we want back in?" the fire breathing man asked. Mukotsu looked at Renkotsu with wide confused eyes. His look was responded with a stern one.

"Then just ask," Bankotsu answered.

"Fine. Go. Souta is in the yard in the middle of the castle." Renkotsu and Mukotsu stepped aside and watched closely as Bankotsu and Kagome passed by them.

"Why are we letting them go?" Mukotsu whispered to Renkotsu inquisitively, not understanding the situation.

"Because…he's earnest."

**OoOoOoOo**

Seconds after passing the two men and entering into a long hallway Kagome and Bankotsu were greeted by a group of demons. "Stay behind me," Bankotsu ordered Kagome, gripping the handle of his Banryuu tightly. Kagome took cover behind her beloved and kept her eyes on the vicious looking group of demons before them. Bankotsu suddenly jumped into the crowd and began hacking the demons to pieces. Within a minutes time, the demons were all over the floor.

"That was fast," Kagome laughed, feeling relieved that Bankotsu had been able to take the demons out so easily and quickly.

"They weren't meant to be hard," came Renkotsu's voice, "They're meant to wear you down for Souta." Renkotsu and Mukotsu quickly entered the room and held the door to the previous room open.

"We want back into the Shichinintai. After all, the Shichinintai just isn't the Shichinintai without all of us," Mukotsu spoke fast, he didn't seem to be bothered by rejoining at all, instead, he seemed more concerned about something else.

"Hurry into the previous room. There are even more groups headed here on the way. You would not be able to fight them all and protect Kagome. If you hide in the other room, Mukotsu and I will redirect them. Then you can go down the hall safely and meet Souta," Renkotsu explained.

"Thank you." Bankotsu said to the two, smiling and bowing to them. He then grabbed Kagome's hand and made his way through the doors into the previous room, closing them behind him. Once on the other side, he and Kagome leaned against the door and listened carefully.

"Are you sure it's alright to trust them?" Kagome asked, fearful that they had been dragged into a trap.

"I do." A few seconds later they heard thousands of feet entering the hallway and then Renkotsu's voice.

"You idiots just missed them," he said harshly to the demons. "They've already made their way to Lord Souta."

"Meh!?" came a strange gurgled voice. Kagome assumed it was one of the demons. "Lord Souta? But we heard nothing from him."

"Probably because he hasn't had a chance to contact you yet. Maybe he's currently fighting for his life. Or maybe he's so angry at your insolence that he's restraining his anger and taking it out on Bankotsu and his sister instead. You know how he gets," Mukotsu explained.

"Very irrational. Who knows what he's thinking." Renkotsu snickered. "I'd hate to be you guys right now."

"Uh…oh no! We were too slow!"

"Very slow…"

There was then silence for a couple of seconds and then the demon spoke again.

"Wait…aren't you in trouble? Did YOU let them pass too?"

"This is true. But who do you think he'll catch first? By the time he's done killing all of you, he'll be too tired and his mood will change, making him decide to spare us." Renkotsu had an answer to everything. "I'd run if I were you."

"You- you- you- HUMAN! Grrrr! Run away everyone, run awaaaaaaaay!"

Kagome and Bankotsu then heard the thousands of footsteps scamper off, and then Renkotsu opened the door and smiled at them. "He's in the center. Hurry."

"Thank you. Jakotsu and the others are in the front of the castle." Bankotsu added before running down the hall with Kagome at his side. "Don't you worry Kagome, we're almost there!"

**OoOoOoOo**

Souta stood in the center of the garden with Kohaku, Rani, and a few demons. In the exact center was a large circle surrounded by the dozens of candles Renkotsu and Mukotsu had made. The circle was drawn in blood, most likely the blood of some demons that had gotten on Souta's bad side.

Souta stared sadly at Rani, his eyes starting to swell up with tears. Kohaku leaned over to Souta and softly whispered into his ear. "You know, we really can find another girl…"

"No," Souta mumbled, shaking his head. He quickly wiped the tears from his eyes and looked at Kohaku. "We no longer have time for such a thing. Besides, she's the perfect one. No other woman is good enough."

Now Rani wasn't stupid, she'd caught onto Souta. She knew what he was planning to do. He was going to sacrifice her. He would sacrifice her for Kohaku's sake.

"Rani," Souta suddenly said sternly, turning to the beautiful woman dressed in black. "I'm sorry. But the ritual calls for a female sacrifice."

Rani only walked toward Souta and smiled. "I know," she replied, stopping before him and softly embracing him. "I love you. More than anything else in the world, I love you." With that she let go and stepped into the center of the circle. "The tears in your eyes and the way you've been treating me these past few days made me so happy. You really care about me Souta. If it weren't for Kohaku, I'd have never met you, let alone been loved by you. I don't mind giving up my life for him. I know how important he is to you, and I owe him as well."

By now Souta was sobbing again, the little boy in him was trying to escape in order to save the girl he loved. "Kohaku, hurry," he sobbed, turning away from Rani and grasping onto the younger boy's shirt. "I don't know how long…I can hold back." He said this as if he didn't want to feel the presence of the little boy inside him, when in reality he only wished he could end everything.

Kohaku glanced over to the demons and signaled them to start. "Goodbye Rani," he said softly, a bit of sadness could be heard in his voice. He'd learned that humans weren't so bad after all. Their love was incredibly strong.

Rani cheerfully waved at Kohaku and then focused on Souta's broken form. "Goodbye, Souta…"

**-------------------------------------**

**NEXT CHAPTER: Never Forget**

Bankotsu and Kagome finally reach Souta, only to discover they've come too late and Kohaku has already received his new body. Will Kagome be able to talk her brother into returning home or will Bankotsu have to use brute force?

**-------------------------------------**


	28. Never Forget

And as promised, here's the next chapter. I figured I'd put it up BEFORE I go to class, or else it wouldn't have been updated until 6 or 7 pm.

**------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------**

**Disclaimer: ** I do not own any of this story…so don't sue me.

**Warnings: **OOC, mild language

**Key:** "speech" _thought _**flashback **_**dream**_

**------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------**

Catch you Catch Kagome

**CHAPTER TWENTY-EIGHT: Never Forget**

By now Souta was sobbing again, the little boy in him was trying to escape in order to save the girl he loved. "Kohaku, hurry," he sobbed, turning away from Rani and grasping onto the younger boy's shirt. "I don't know how long…I can hold back." He said this as if he didn't want to feel the presence of the little boy inside him, when in reality he only wished he could end everything.

Kohaku glanced over to the demons and signaled them to start. "Goodbye Rani," he said softly, a bit of sadness could be heard in his voice. He'd learned that humans weren't so bad after all. Their love was incredibly strong.

Rani cheerfully waved at Kohaku and then focused on Souta's broken form. "Goodbye, Souta…"

Souta shut his eyes tight and muttered a series of strange words beneath his breath, refusing to watch the bright light engulf the girl he'd fallen in love with. Rani let out a terrible scream of anguish and physical pain before evaporating into the light, at which point Kohaku let go of Souta and also rushed into the light. After Kohaku also disappeared into the light, a strong wave of energy surged out from the center of the circle, destroying the weak demons nearby to die and for Souta to brace himself to keep from falling over.

Minutes later, after the dust had settled, two figures were standing within the circle. One of the figures was a tall and built. In comparison to the young Kohaku, the other figure within the circle, he was a giant. His hair was short and bright red. As soon as he opened his yellow eyes, Kohaku fell lifelessly to the ground. The red haired man glanced at the fallen boy and smirked, he was no longer bound in another's body.

Souta stood up in awe and examined the new man closely. "Kohaku…?" he asked meekly. The red haired man smiled and nodded then motioned for Souta to come toward him. Souta obeyed and stepped closer.

"Souta…my real name, is Ryuukotsusei," the demon who once inhabited Kohaku's body said sternly. "Please, call me by that name. I am myself now. I am no longer someone else."

"Ryuukotsusei," muttered Souta, trying to become accustomed to the new name, "What should we do with…uh…"

"Kohaku?" Ryuukotsusei asked. His voice was deep and frightening, so frightening that even Souta was a bit fearful. This of course, was something that Ryuukotsusei quickly figured out. "Souta. Do not be afraid. I will cause you no harm."

"But technically," Souta said, suddenly standing strong. "You don't need me anymore. You've got your body."

Ryuukotsusei realized that Souta's true self was shinning through again, and at one of the worst times. This moment was the most crucial for them. He quickly rushed toward Souta and pulled the young deranged man into his arms. "I'll always need you, you fool. You're my partner. How could you doubt me?"

"I-I don't know. I just have…this feeling, that I've done something terrible."

"Well ignore it. You've only done everything right. Remember, this is all for your sister and us. You'll be able to protect her and live wonderful lives, and we will be powerful lords together. I promise, soon you'll be free from all of the chaos in your mind." His grip around Souta tightened. "Very soon."

Moments later, Kagome and Bankotsu quickly burst through the doors, slightly startling the two. "Souta!" Kagome cried out in concern, then her eyes fell upon the human form of Ryuukotsusei. "Who is he?"

Bankotsu stiffened up when he noticed Kohaku lying in the circle and put two and two together. "So you're the real Ryuukotsusei, huh?" he asked smugly, gripping Banryuu. "At least now when I kill you, I won't be killing an innocent boy. I suppose I should thank you for that at least."

"Don't be so sure of yourself, Bankotsu. I did not go through all that work, put Souta through all this pain, just to give up my life. It is you who will return to the grave," answered Ryuukotsusei. Ryuukotsusei began to assume a fighting position, but Souta touched his shoulder, stopping him.

"Wait…" Souta mumbled, his voice filled with doubt. "This...is wrong."

"Souta?"

Kagome couldn't handle it anymore, she left Bankotsu's side frantically and raced to her brother. "Souta! Please, come home with me!" she cried as she embraced him protectively, scowling at Ryuukotsusei. "Please….everything will be okay. Just come back with me." Souta fell to his knees, allowing Kagome to rest his head against her chest.

"Let him go," the red haired man demanded, materializing a large sword and pointing it at Kagome's face. When Bankotsu witnessed this happen his stomach muscles tightened. He would have torn Ryuukotsusei to pieces at that moment if it had not been for the dangerous glare the said man had shot him. Bankotsu knew that if he made any sudden movements Kagome would be the one in pieces.

"Kagome," Bankotsu said calmly, not wanting her to hear the worry he was feeling. "Come back over here, let him go."

"No!" Kagome cried, hugging him tighter. "I can't let him go! What kind of a sister would I be?" She pulled away just enough to look her younger brother in the face. "Souta, I've been running from you for too long. I haven't been a very good sister…"

"No Kagome…you're a wonderful sister, what other choice have I given you? I'm the one who's bad…" Souta sniffled. Even though he was in the body of a grown man, the child within shown through clearly. "I've done so many horrible things to you. How can you hold me like you do?"

"It's because I love you, Souta!" Kagome's voice was filled with happiness. It seemed as if her brother might return to her after all. Ryuukotsusei, however, wasn't as happy. He knew what was happening, that he might just lose control over Souta yet.

Then suddenly things turn a turn.

"I love you too, sister." Souta whispered. Kagome wasn't as pleased as she thought she would be. Souta's voice was no longer troubled, he sounded perfectly sane. "But technically, I'm now the older one. Therefore, it is my job to seek out what is best for you."

Kagome pulled away quickly and looked her brother in the eyes. What she saw there terrified her. Darkness. Complete and utter darkness. The old Souta was nowhere to be seen. "Souta?"

Souta stood up swiftly and turned to Ryuukotsusei. "You didn't think I'd abandon you just like that, did you?" he asked smugly.

Ryuukotsusei was quite confused, even he had no idea what had just happened. "Souta, are you alright?"

"I've never been better!" Souta laughed, placing his hand on his chest. "This lightness, I feel like a heavy load has been lifted off of my chest."

"You've accepted the new you," the red haired man said, smiling. This was perfect. Now everything would go according to plan.

"Ryuukotsusei, you have no had enough time to recover. Go rest and leave them to me."

"If that is what you wish. Be well," Ryuukotsusei answered, though he did not want to leave his friend. However, Ryuukotsusei knew Souta was right, he needed to get away and recover. "Destroy them quickly." With that, the red haired man disappeared into thin air, vanishing into the depths of his castle.

Souta turned his attention to Bankotsu and Kagome and smiled. "You must understand Kagome. In order to protect you and the one's I love, I must kill you both."

"You'd hurt your sister," Bankotsu explained, trying to reason with the deranged boy. Souta was Kagome's beloved brother and he didn't want to have to kill him if he didn't have to. "Don't you love her?"

"Of course I love her. But I also love everyone else in this castle. It really is the only way."

"But Souta, you'll hurt her! Aren't you trying to protect her!?" Bankotsu was starting to fume with anger; he couldn't take much more of this.

Kagome was feeling lost, she had no idea of what she should do. Her brother intended on killing her and she knew that Bankotsu would kill her brother if he had to. How on earth could she get through to him? "Souta?" Kagome suddenly asked him, her voice soft and quivering. She figured it wouldn't hurt if she tried once more. "Please come home with me. Everyone is worried about us."

"This is our home now," her brother replied sternly.

"Kagome, please, leave everything to me," Bankotsu stated simply, pushing Kagome aside. "If you want to kill your sister, you'll have to kill me first."

"You see?" Souta began laughing, "You're making this out to be worse than it really is. I intend to revive her. See? No worries. It's not like she's going to bed a corpse forever." He assumed a fighting position. "And before you give me that 'but you'll kill her' crap, dying only makes you stronger. It'll do the girl some good."

"How on earth does this make sense to you?" Bankotsu growled, gripping his Banryuu.

At that moment, the rest of the duo's party arrived through the garden doors, Renkotsu leading the way. As soon as Sango caught sight of her brother Kohaku, she raced to his side. "Oh my god!" she cried as she knelt within the circle and scooped his body up into her arms. "Kohaku! Kohaku, wake up!"

"Stop freaking out!" Souta snapped at her. "He's fine. He's just unconscious."

Miroku and Kirara joined Sango and aided her in pulling her brother to safety.

Jakotsu and the Shichinintai started toward Bankotsu, intent on helping him defeat their enemy, but were soon stopped. "Stay back," he ordered them. "I have to do this on my own."

"But Big Brother!" Jakotsu whined. "I can't just sit back and watch you fight for your life!"

"This isn't just about me, Jakotsu. I have to save Souta."

"Save me? Save me from what?" Souta taunted, "I'm perfectly fine."

"Protect Kagome for me, alright? No matter what happens, don't interfere." _I will save your brother._

Souta glanced at Renkotsu and Mukotsu and began laughing. "So you betrayed me? Was my power not good enough for you?"

"It was nothing compared to the compassion our Big Brother has for us," Renkotsu replied.

"How interesting. I thought it was his lack of that which made you turn on him."

"Enough! Fight me already!" Bankotsu grabbed his Banryuu and lunged at Souta, only to be blocked by Souta's left guard arm.

"Now that didn't seem too fair, I'm unarmed."

"And you'll stay that way!"

**OoOoOoOo**

Kagome had been unable to watch the fight and had been escorted to the hallway that served as the entrance to the garden by Jakotsu and Suikotsu. Jakotsu sat angrily, holding the sobbing Kagome in his arms, while Suikotsu paced around thoughtfully.

"Why are you pacing Suikotsu? It's driving me insane!" Jakotsu hissed suddenly. "Stop it or I'll slice your legs off!"

Suikotsu stopped his pacing and looked at Jakotsu. "Someone's a bit cranky."

"Well what do you want me to be? Big Brother is out there fighting for his life, Kagome is a sobbing mess, and we can't do a thing about it."

Suddenly Renkotsu entered the hallway with Mukotsu and grimly looked at Suikotsu. "Suikotsu, Brother Bankotsu wants you," he explained.

"During his battle? Does he need help?" the doctor asked, quickly rushing toward the garden along with Mukotsu.

"He needs help? Well why isn't he asking ME!?" Jakotsu hissed, hugging Kagome tighter.

"Because he needs you to protect Kagome," Renkotsu told him, though Jakotsu knew he was lying. He knew it was because it was something he couldn't help with.

Suikotsu and Mukotsu returned to the hallway with the same grim expression that Renkotsu had carried when he entered.

"We'll be back in a bit," Suikotsu mumbled before leaving with Mukotsu.

"WHY ARE THEY LEAVING!?" Jakotsu screamed angrily. "What's going on Renkotsu!?"

Renkotsu glanced at Kagome and shook his head. "Take care of her."

"What about Inuyasha and the others? Why can't they take care of her?" Jakotsu asked. Jakotsu's timing was perfect because at that moment Inuyasha and the others entered into the hallway.

"God, I hate the guy. But I can't stand watching this," Inuyasha mumbled, sitting down beside Kagome and Jakotsu. His eyes focused on Kagome and discovered that she had fallen asleep. "She's asleep."

"Good," Renkotsu sighed. "What's going on out there?"

"Bankotsu is taking a terrible beating," Miroku explained. "It's like he refuses to do any real damage to Souta."

"He's been able to block most of Souta's attacks," Inuyasha continued, "but the attacks that have hit him are slowing him down. He's doing a great job at keeping Souta unarmed though."

"Inuyasha, you've fought Souta before. Does Bankotsu have a chance?" Jakotsu asked.

"Not if he won't fight back." Inuyasha looked sadly at Kagome. "Honestly, even if he did start fighting back now, he wouldn't have a chance…"

"Poor Kagome and Bankotsu," Shippo sniffed sadly.

"He isn't looking for a chance," Suikotsu suddenly said. He entered the hallway along with Mukotsu, both looking grimmer than ever.

"Where were you two!?" Jakotsu asked angrily.

"Big Brother asked us to make something for him," Mukotsu explained. "Make sure Kagome doesn't come outside…"

Of course, upon hearing her name in Mukotsu's voice, Kagome woke up. "What's going on?" she asked sleepily. "Is Bankotsu okay?" She looked up at Suikotsu and noticed he was holding a small bottle of liquid.

"He's still fighting love," Jakotsu answered, brushing her hair out of her face.

"The bottle?" the modern priestess asked, directing her question to the doctor.

"A present."

**OoOoOoOo**

Everyone was unable to keep Kagome from going into the garden to witness the beating of Bankotsu. She refused to stay inside and wanted to be outside supporting him. After all, he was fighting for her. When she heard that he was losing because he didn't want to hurt her brother the news broke her heart. She didn't want either of them to die.

Everyone stood outside the garden and watched the two men beat on one another.

As soon as Bankotsu realized everyone was outside, he threw his Banryuu at Souta with such force that it pierced Souta's right arm and pinned him to the wall. Bankotsu quickly went toward his friends ignoring his bleeding wounds and the horrific pain and ignoring the screaming man behind him. "Suikotsu," he spoke seriously. "Did you get it?"

"Yes, here it is." Suikotsu handed Bankotsu the small bottle, but didn't let go when Bankotsu tried to take it. "Are you sure about this? You understand the consequences, don't you?"

"I do."

"Bankotsu?" Kagome asked worriedly. She broke away from Jakotsu and approached Bankotsu. "Why are you doing this for me? Fight back!"

"But then your brother would get hurt," he replied smiling.

"But…"

Bankotsu placed his hand her on head and kissed her forehead. "Like your brother, I want to protect you. I'll give you my life."

"Bankotsu?"

"I love you Kagome. Don't ever forget that." Bankotsu bent down and kissed the modern priestess passionately on the lips before pushing her into Suikotsu. Suikotsu responded by wrapping his arms around her, preventing her from running.

Bankotsu turned around to see Souta waiting with his Banryuu in hand. "Are you done yet?" he asked angrily, obviously upset about his wounded attack arm.

"Yeah, I'm sorry that we weren't able to become friends."

"Oh, I'm sure you are."

Bankotsu stepped into the strange circle that Souta had used earlier to transform Ryuukotsusei, and waited for Souta to approach him. As soon as Souta stepped into the circle and attempted to stab the Shichinintai leader with his own weapon, Bankotsu grabbed hold of Souta's wounded arm and pulled him close. "It's over," he whispered, dropping the bottle on the ground between them. When the bottle fell to the ground and broke, the two men were instantly covered by a large cloud of blue smoke.

"What's going on!?" Kagome asked Suikotsu worriedly. "What's happening?"

"Bankotsu is saving your brother," Suikotsu replied sadly.

"What? I don't understand!"

"Oh…I get it," Jakotsu said in a horrified voice. "Suikotsu! Mukotsu! How COULD YOU!?"

"He asked for it! We didn't want to…but," cried Mukotsu, trying to cover up his guilt.

"It's the only way," Suikotsu said angrily. "Big Brother is doing what he has to do to save Souta. Ryuukotsusei's spell is such a power one that Souta's old body is completely destroyed. We will never be able to reverse the effects of his spell. The only way to save Souta is to make him a new body. But in order for the transformation to work, we need someone willing to be sacrificed for it. Not only is Bankotsu the willing party, but he has the most purified jewel shards. The shards will be transferred into Souta and purify his new body. When it comes down to it, only someone with jewel shards can save Souta."

Kagome's eyes widened in horror as she listened to Suikotsu's explaination and heard the screams of Bankotsu and Souta. Then suddenly there was silence. She pulled away from Suikotsu and stepped toward to smoke, watching closely as it faded away. Sitting in the middle of the circle was the younger brother she knew and loved, but Bankotsu was nowhere to be seen. All that remained of the Shichinintai leader was his Banryuu. Kagome's eyes swelled up with tears. She was happy to see her brother returned to normal, but she had also just lost the man she loved most of all.

Souta opened his eyes and looked around, not realizing what he had done and what had happened. When he caught sight of Kagome his eyes lit up and he ran to her gleefully. "Kagome! You're okay!" he laughed happily, hugging her tightly. "There was this really scary kid, I think his name was Kohaku, and he took me into the well and- Kagome?"

Kagome had wrapped her arms around him and was crying uncontrollably. Her heart had been broken in two. All she could think about was Bankotsu.

**----------------------------**

**NEXT CHAPTER: The Bitter Taste of Sweet Revenge**

Kagome forces herself to come to terms with Bankotsu's death. Wielding her dead lover's Banryuu, she and the Shichinintai, along with Inuyasha and company, seek revenge for the death of Bankotsu and put a stop to Ryuukotsusei's madness once and for all.

**----------------------------**

Now before anyone sends me any hate mail for killing off Bankotsu, just wait for the next chapter. After you finish the fanfic, which will be over next installment, then you may hate or love me all you want. ;)**  
**


	29. The Bitter Taste of Sweet Revenge

Woo, look at THAT. I update like...10-20 minutes before Monday! I mainly did this, because I could, and because tomorrow (Feb 2) is my 20th birthday and a very busy school day for me. So here's the last chapter, do enjoy.

**------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------**

**Disclaimer: ** I do not own any of this story…so don't sue me.

**Warnings: **OOC, mild language

**Key:** "speech" _thought _**flashback **_**dream**_

**------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------**

Catch you Catch Kagome

**CHAPTER TWENTY-NINE: The Bitter Taste of Sweet Revenge**

"It's the only way," Suikotsu said angrily. "Big Brother is doing what he has to do to save Souta. Ryuukotsusei's spell is such a power one that Souta's old body is completely destroyed. We will never be able to reverse the effects of his spell. The only way to save Souta is to make him a new body. But in order for the transformation to work, we need someone willing to be sacrificed for it. Not only is Bankotsu the willing party, but he has the most purified jewel shards. The shards will be transferred into Souta and purify his new body. When it comes down to it, only someone with jewel shards can save Souta."

Kagome's eyes widened in horror as she listened to Suikotsu's explaination and heard the screams of Bankotsu and Souta. Then suddenly there was silence. She pulled away from Suikotsu and stepped toward to smoke, watching closely as it faded away. Sitting in the middle of the circle was the younger brother she knew and loved, but Bankotsu was nowhere to be seen. All that remained of the Shichinintai leader was his beloved Banryuu. Kagome's eyes swelled up with tears. She was happy to see her brother returned to normal, but she had also just lost the man she loved most of all.

Souta opened his eyes and looked around, not realizing what he had done and what had happened. When he caught sight of Kagome his eyes lit up and he ran to her gleefully. "Kagome! You're okay!" he laughed happily, hugging her tightly. "There was this really scary kid, I think his name was Kohaku, and he took me into the well and- Kagome?"

Kagome had wrapped her arms around him and was crying uncontrollably. Her heart had been broken in two. All she could think about was Bankotsu.

**OoOoOoOo**

Souta sat beside Inuyasha and stayed still as Suikotsu examined him for any wounds. This was the only way Suikotsu could help out Kagome. He knew she didn't want any direct comfort, for she had pushed everyone away when they had tried to take her from Banryuu's side. So if he made sure her brother was okay, the one whom Bankotsu had given his life to save, then he was helping her.

Inuyasha was also having a difficult time keeping away from Kagome's side. He knew she had chosen Bankotsu over him, and now that Bankotsu was gone he wanted to comfort her now more than ever. But he knew he couldn't. So, like Suikotsu, he stayed by Souta's side.

Kouga was standing off in the distance, watching the scene sadly. He couldn't do a thing for Kagome.

Kohaku was still passed out in his sister's arms, sleeping peacefully while Miroku treated his wounds. Kirara sat faithfully beside Sango, pleased that Sango was so happy.

The remaining Band of Seven all stood around helplessly, watching their priestess cry.

Finally, Shippo couldn't take Kagome's crying anymore. "Kagome?" he asked, walking toward the distraught priestess. "Come on, it's not safe here. We should really get going." He touched her shoulder. "I know you're sad…but…"

"No," Kagome said suddenly, standing up and brushing away her tears. "We have to fight Ryuukotsusei. He caused all of this. I have to get revenge."

"But Kagome, Ryuukotsusei is strong. And now that he's been rested, he's probably a lot stronger. Right now, I don't think we have the means to defeat him," Suikotsu tried to reason.

"No," Jakotsu snapped. "She's right. Besides, it's that bastard's fault that Big Brother is gone. I'm with Kagome. I'm going to tear him to pieces."

"I'm also in," Inuyasha said forcefully. "Ryuukotsusei is originally my enemy. It would be pitiful if I backed out."

The group ended up agreeing on taking Ryuukotsusei on that moment; however, Miroku quickly realized that two of their party members had not spoken in a while. "Where are Kouga and Butter?"

"Kouga," Inuyasha mumbled softly. "He left before we entered the castle. He told me that he had to return to his pack."

"That's strange…" Sango said aloud, trying to think of what reason he would have to bail on them. "And Butter went with him?"

**OoOoOoOo**

Kouga walked on silently, holding back all of his emotions. He had been a coward; he had run away in the face of danger. Though technically, he thought to himself, he didn't really have a reason to be there in the first place. Kagome had made her choice of men. Originally, she was his only reason for hanging around. Knowing that she had chosen another man hurt him deeply, yet at the same time, it didn't really bother him.

"Bruuuuu!" a soft voice buzzed out.

Kouga turned to look behind him to find that Kagome's pet Butter had followed him. The small mouse wandered over to his feet and begged to be picked up. Hesitantly, Kouga obliged. "What are you doing following me?" he asked curiously.

"Worried," Butter answered. "Keep company."

Kouga didn't understand why the Forgotten would be worried about him, but he wasn't about to complain with having company. It felt nice. "Alright then, let's go." The two continued to walk on, Kouga intent on reaching his pack, and Butter intent on keeping him company."

**OoOoOoOo**

Kagome pulled Souta close and looked down at him, tears in her eyes. "It'll be okay, I promise." She hugged him tighter. "Alright everyone, let's find Ryuukotsusei." Kagome and Souta began walking toward the garden door when suddenly they bumped into an invisible glass wall. "What?"

"What is it Kagome?" Suikotsu asked.

"A…wall?" Souta answered, sounding very confused.

"Damn castle," Jakotsu mumbled, walking forward towards Kagome. He was very unhappy when he discovered there was a wall separating him from the woman and child. "What the hell?"

"Kagome!" Inuyasha growled, pulling out his Tetsusaiga and beating on the invisible walls.

"Fascinating, isn't it?" came a familiar voice. It was none other than Ryuukotsusei himself. "This way, nobody can get in my way." He stood in the doorway of the garden, in front of Kagome and Souta. His smile faded when he got a good look at Souta. "Souta?"

Kagome quickly pushed her brother behind her and looked the red haired man straight in the eyes. "You've already taken Bankotsu from me. You won't lay a finger on my brother."

"Now is that really for you to decide?" Ryuukotsusei asked smugly, grabbing Kagome by the shoulder and pushing her aside. "Souta, come with me."

It pained the Shichinintai and Kagome's friends to be unable to aid the modern priestess and her brother.

As Ryuukotsusei approached the young boy, Souta let out a terrified shriek and attempted to shove the man away. "Go away! No more!" he cried, tears falling from his eyes.

"I don't understand," Ryuukotsusei said in a confused voice. "What did they do to you?"

"They didn't do anything to me! It was all you!" he cried bitterly. "You used me! I hate you!"

Souta's words cut deeply into Ryuukotsusei's heart. His only friend, his partner, was betraying him. Roughly Ryuukotsusei grabbed onto Souta, only to have his hand slapped away by Kagome. "Stay away!" she screamed bitterly. All of this interference, the negative feelings coming from Souta were too much for the new born demon. He had to get rid of Kagome.

"That's it you wretch!" he snarled, smacking Kagome across the face.

"Stop it!" Souta cried, jumping in front of his sister. "Fine! I'll go with you. Just don't hurt her, please."

Ryuukotsusei looked at Kagome with hatred and then softly at Souta. "You're mistaken, she's only hurting you." He lifted his hand, intent on killing the modern priestess. "Move aside, Souta."

"No, Kagome!" Jakotsu screamed, pounding hard on the invisible wall. Kagome was about to die and there was nothing they could do about it.

"Dammit!" Inuyasha hissed, also beating on the wall, hoping that eventually he would be able to break through. However, try as they might, the magic of Ryuukotsusei was far too strong.

"We'll never be able to escape, let alone beat that monster…" Renkotsu said sadly.

"If Kagome dies, we can always have…that woman revive her, right?" Mukotsu suggested, only to receive a hard hit on the head by Suikotsu.

"We'd prefer if that didn't have to happen," the doctor mumbled. He too was frustrated with the current situation, but he knew it would be foolish to waste their strength trying to escape. They wouldn't be getting out anytime soon.

Ryuukotsusei was just about to strike Kagome with his fist when suddenly was the center of the garden Banryuu began glowing. The demon was naturally intrigued by this strange phenomenon and stopped to stare. Within seconds Bankotsu's Banryuu lifted itself into the air and hurled itself through the walls and toward Ryuukotsusei. Ryuukotsusei was caught off guard and as a result took a nasty blow to his arm.

"_I'll protect you," _a strange, yet familiar voice spoke softly to Kagome.

"What the hell is this?" Ryuukotsusei snarled, attempting to grab Banryuu only to have his hand shocked away.

"Banryuu," Kagome said sadly, placing her hand on the halberd's hilt. Souta clung to her waste and the two stared frightfully at the demon standing before them. Suddenly Banryuu began emitting another light, this time it was glowing a deep purple. Kagome and Souta shielded their eyes as they realized what was happening. Banryuu was intending to kill Ryuukotsusei. Suddenly the bright light filled the entire boxed in area containing the three. Ryuukotsusei's screams of anguish and defeat filled the garden.

When the light faded Ryuukotsusei was on his knees, trembling from the frightful event that had just taken place. Using it's immense power, Banryuu had managed to send a powerful shock throughout the entire boxed in room, making sure that Ryuukotsusei would be unable to avoid it, and also managed to shield both Kagome and her brother from the shock.

Ryuukotsusei looked up at the two, his eyes filled with tears. "I understand," he mumbled sadly. "Souta. I'm sorry." Once he finished speaking, his eyes became dark and he fell lifelessly to the ground.

**OoOoOoOo**

Jakotsu and Suikotsu had assured Kagome that their lovely friend Urasue could bring Bankotsu back from the dead, just as she had done with Kikiyo, Mukotsu, and Kyoukotsu. To Urasue's hut was where the Shichinintai and Kagome were headed. Inuyasha and the others had decided to return to Kaede's village to recover from their travels.

Kagome's eyes lit up upon spotting the old demon woman's hut, she knew she would be seeing her beloved Bankotsu soon. She was no longer troubled by his being dead once she realized that he could come back. Besides, she had been without him for longer.

"Urasue!" the modern priestess cried happily upon seeing the old demon exit the hut. "Urasue, I'm so glad to see you!"

"Kagome? Shichinintai?" Urasue asked herself in confusion. "What's this?"

As soon as Kyoukotsu, who was carrying everyone, stopped, Kagome jumped off and raced over to Urasue. "It's been a long time!" she peeped chipperly.

"And what brings you to my house?" the demon woman asked.

"Actually, it is Bankotsu that brings us here," Suikotsu explained, stepping down from Kyoukotsu carrying Souta in his arms. "He gave his life to save this boy, Kagome's younger brother. Can you bring him back? Without harming the boy?"

"Bankotsu doing something good?" Urasue mumbled to herself in disbelief. She could remember all the times he'd gotten mad at her and destroyed her. "Well, if he's turned over a new leaf, I may as well help out…but then again…"

"…what did you say?" Jakotsu growled.

"Well, technically, the only reason I was even helping you dirty beasts out was being Bankotsu was threatening me…but if he's gone…"

"I'll rip your throat out and make you eat it," Jakotsu snarled.

"Then who will revive your precious Big Brother?"

Kagome fell to her knees and took hold of Urasue's feet. "Please Urasue," she cried, her voice cracking from the tears. "I love him."

Urasue took pity on Kagome. She knew what it was like to be in love. Whether she wanted to admit it or not, she had been in love once. "Fine fine fine," she sighed, wanting to stop feeling such pity for the girl. "I'll see what I can do. Just pull yourself together. You'll want to look good for him when he returns, right?"

"Thank you," Kagome mumbled happily, wiping the tears from her cheeks.

"Jewel shards?" Urasue asked.

"They were all transferred to Souta when Big Brother…" Renkotsu answered, not wanting to finish his sentence.

"Alright, I understand. Come with me young man," Urasue said, motioning for Souta to follow.

Souta didn't want to follow the strange demon into the hut, but he did want to bring Bankotsu back for Kagome. He wanted her to smile forever.

An hour passed by and neither Souta, Bankotsu, or Urasue came out of the hut. Kagome was beginning to get anxious, when she finally heard Bankotsu's voice.

"Thank you, Urasue. I owe you one," came the Shichinintai leader's voice from inside the hut.

Kagome's eyes lit up. Her heart began racing.

Bankotsu swiftly stepped out of the hut and stretched. "Hey guys," he said with a charming smile when he saw his men waiting for him, smiles on their faces.

"Bankotsu," Kagome said, tearing up. "I'm so happy you're alive!" She raced toward him but before she could embrace him, was forcefully pushed away.

"What the hell!?" Bankotsu hissed in disgust. "What do you think you're trying to do?"

"W-what?" Kagome asked in confusion from the ground. "Bankotsu…don't play around…."

"Jakotsu, tell me why Inuyasha's girl is with you?" Bankotsu ordered, walking over to his men and completely ignoring the distraught priestess.

"…Big Brother? Don't you remember?" Jakotsu asked.

"Remember what?" Bankotsu replied. He took note of all of the confused and horrified expressions of his men and became irritated. "What the heck is going on? What kind of a welcome back is this?"

Suikotsu quickly caught on and looked at Kagome sadly. "You're right, Brother Bankotsu. Actually, we kidnapped Inuyasha's girl as a present for you. What would you have us do with her?"

"I don't care," came the cold reply. "I don't need her."

Kagome only stared at her lover in horror, not able to fathom what had just occurred. Urasue and Souta stepped out of the hut and watched sadly. Bankotsu had completely forgotten Kagome.

"I'll take care of her," Jakotsu announced. He walked over to Kagome and roughly pulled her to her feet. "Souta," he mumbled. "Let's get her to Inuyasha."

After the three left, Suikotsu and the other tried to explain to Bankotsu what had just occurred. They found it strange that he remembered everything but being in love with Kagome. He refused to believe such a thing and blew them off. After all, how he fall in love with that half demon's woman?

Jakotsu had to carry Kagome the entire way to Kaede's village. The modern priestess couldn't stop crying. Everyone was worried about Kagome when they noticed Jakotsu bringing the broken girl to them for protection. Once Jakotsu was sure Kagome would be well taken care of, he said his goodbye's and sadly left.

Kagome stayed in bed sobbing uncontrollably for the entire day. Her crying would only stop once she passed out and she would always wake up crying again. This continued for nearly a week until one day she just stopped. It surprised everyone when they found her standing in the doorway of Kaede's hut, asking for a meal.

"Kagome?" Souta asked hesitantly as he watched his sister eat. "Are you okay?"

"Me?" Kagome asked, after washing down the food with a cup of water. "Of course. Why wouldn't I be?"

"Right…silly me."

"That's better!" Kagome cried out, falling back on the wooden floor and stretching happily. "I really needed that." She turned her head and looked at her brother. "Souta, I'm glad you're back. I really missed you."

"Stop trying to hide it," Souta said suddenly, feeling very upset. "Aren't you still upset about Bankotsu? What he did to you!?" The anger in his voice was very apparent to Kagome, but she only smiled.

"Silly brother," she laughed. "Bankotsu is alive. That's good enough for me."

"But he just tossed you aside!"

"It's not his fault he doesn't remember how he feels," the modern priestess answered sadly. "Jakotsu explained to me that it's because he's in a new body. His old body had been affected by the purified jewel shards…we just weren't meant to be."

"And you're alright with that!?" the anger in Souta's voice was rising.

"I have to be," Kagome said smiling. "I'm fine, don't worry about me." She stood up and wiped the dust from her school uniform. "I'm ready to go home."

**OoOoOoOo**

When Kagome stepped outside she was greeted by Sango and Kohaku. "Kagome," Sango said sadly. "Are you alright?"

"Yeah, I'm fine," Kagome replied smiling. "How's Kohaku?"

"I'm fine, thanks to you and…everyone," the said boy replied. "I'm sorry for all of the trouble I've caused you." Kohaku bowed apologetically, only to feel Souta lift him up.

"It wasn't your fault," Souta replied. "Maybe we could be friends, like our sisters."

"I'd like that."

"We'd like that too," Kagome and Sango laughed. They turned to one another and hugged.

"I'll see you again, right?" Sango asked worriedly.

"Of course. I just need a little time. I'll be sure to visit soon though!"

"KAGOME!" came a small voice. Shippo darted out of the bushes and flew into Kagome's arms. "Don't forget me! You HAVE to come back! I'll die if you don't!"

"Oh Shippo, don't be so dramatic. I'll be back soon, I promise."

Kirara and Miroku also stepped out to join the going away party.

Once everyone had said their goodbyes, Kagome and Souta headed to the well, where they found Inuyasha waiting for them. "Hey Kagome, glad to see you're doing better," he said nervously.

"Thank you," Kagome replied, the same cheery smile upon her face.

"I'll go ahead," Souta announced. "See you at home!" With that he hopped into the magical well and disappeared.

Kagome turned to Inuyasha, her eyes swelling up with tears. "Inuyasha…"

**OoOoOoOo**

Kouga finally reached his wolf den with Butter and was greeted by all of his happy wolves. One of which, he wasn't expecting. While hugging and loving on all of his buddies, from out of the shadows jumped Ayame. With quick and swift movements, Ayame somehow managed to get Kouga into her arms.

"Kouga, I was so worried about you!" she cried, hugging him tight. "I'm so glad you're safe!"

Kouga was very confused at that moment. It had nothing to do with why or how Ayame had gotten him into her arms, just that it didn't seem to bother him. "Hi Ayame," he replied in a pleasant tone. "Nice to see you too." And with that, he kissed her.

"Weeeee!" Butter cried from the sidelines, happily bouncing around.

"Kouga," Ayame mumbled in shock once the kiss was broken. "I don't know what to say…?"

"Say you'll be my wolf lady and I'll be your wolf boy!" Kouga answered, deciding to just go with what felt right for once. He was finding that doing this made him very happy.

"I- I do!"

**OoOoOoOo**

Kouga and Ayame weren't the only couple getting together. Mukotsu and Urasue were also rekindling an old romance.

"Ooooh boogy boo, I love you so much," Urasue cooed at Mukotsu as he held her in his arms. The two were sitting on her bed inside her hut. Nobody quite knew what had happened, just that Urasue had finally gotten Mukotsu re-interested in her.

"Oh pudgy pumpkin, I love you too!" Mukotsu replied, nuzzling Urasue's nose with his own. "Will you marry me again?"

"What would it be, the fifth time?"

"Actually, the seventh."

"Let's do it love muffin!"

**OoOoOoOo**

Sango and Miroku sat outside Kaede's hut in silence. Sango was feeling very sad for Kagome and wished she could be with her at that moment, supporting her.

"Sango," Miroku said suddenly, his hand upon her back. "I need to ask you something." His hand slid down.

"Not now Miroku!" Sango growled, pulling his hand away and smacking it. "Can't you see now is a terrible time!"

"But it's very important," Miroku replied. "After seeing what's been happening between Inuyasha, Bankotsu, and Kagome, I've realized something very important."

"And what's that?" Sango asked sarcastically, expecting a sexual comment.

"That I love you, Sango. And I don't want to chance losing you. Will you be my wife?"

Sango stared at Miroku in silence, trying to decide if he was serious or not. She finally decided to ask him. "Are you being serious?" Instead of answering her question vocally, Miroku pulled her close and kissed her passionately. To his surprise, instead of receiving the usual smack across the face, he was greeted with two arms wrapped around his neck. "Yes," she mumbled.

**OoOoOoOo**

Though Bankotsu didn't remember his feelings for Kagome, he did remember his men and all of the things they had gone through. Though the Shichinintai missed the modern priestess, they were ecstatic to have their leader back. As long as Bankotsu was happy, they were fine.

**OoOoOoOo**

Somehow Kagome had ended up in Inuyasha's arms. She couldn't hold back the tears and keep the fake smile up anymore. As she cried in his arms, Inuyasha gently stroked her head, trying to be as comforting as possible, though he knew he could never replace Bankotsu.

"Kagome," he said, pulling her away slightly to look her in the face. "I'll always love you. If you ever need me, just call, alright?"

"But Inuyasha, that's not fair to you-"

"Shh, I don't care. I know you love Bankotsu. I know that you don't love me."

"Not in…a romantic way…"

"As a friend, if you ever need me, just call. I'll be right there."

Kagome smiled and brushed her tears away. "Thanks Inuyasha. I'll be fine."

"Will we see you again?" the half demon asked, slightly worried that she would never return.

"Of course! This is like my second home. I'll be back soon, I promise."

"See you later then," Inuyasha said, giving her one last hug.

"Later," Kagome replied, returning the hug. She then climbed onto the well and hopped in. She would probably stay in the present time for a while and return when she was finally able to stop crying. She didn't know how long it would take, but she knew everything would be fine in the end. She would eventually get over Bankotsu and maybe even fall for Inuyasha again. She also had to count her blessings. She had a wonderful life, her brother was back safe and sound, and Bankotsu was alive. What more could she ask for?

Besides…him.

**THE END.**

**---------------------------**

I really liked how I ended that...actually. But please, do read the next chapter. You'll be happy that you did.


	30. Epilogue

Oh yeah~ Didn't think I was gonna leave the ending at THAT, did you? There's still more...

**------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------**

**Disclaimer: ** I do not own any of this story…so don't sue me.

**Warnings: **OOC, mild language

**Key:** "speech" _thought _**flashback **_**dream**_

**------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------**

Catch you Catch Kagome

**CHAPTER THIRY: Epilogue**

**Six months later…**

"Kagome! Hurry or you'll be late for school!" Kagome's mother called from down the stairs.

It had been six months since Kagome lost Bankotsu as her lover, and she could finally say she was over him. At least, that's what she liked to tell herself. She had returned to the feudal area only three times in the last six months; she had been putting most of her time and effort into her studies, so she didn't have much time to spend in the feudal era. After all, she did have a lot of catching up to do.

"Alright, I'm almost ready!" she called to her mother.

**OoOoOoOo**

"Daaaaaaaaaaaaaaamnit!" Bankotsu cried angrily, pounding his fist on the wall of the Shichinintai cave.

"What seems to be troubling you know?" Suikotsu asked in a stoic voice. For the past few months, the Shichinintai leader had begun acting very strangely. "The same thing?"

"These damn heart pains! I have a healthy heart, so why am I hurting!?" the leader asked.

"Maybe Suikotsu is just a crappy doctor," Jakotsu suggested smugly. He and Suikotsu were sitting around in the cave playing a game with rocks and sticks.

"Or maybe he's love sick," Renkotsu teased as he entered the cave carrying a basket full of food.

"Oooh! Maybe he misses Kagome!" Jakotsu laughed. "She's such a sweet girl…I really miss her."

"You're all sick! She's disgusting!" Bankotsu said, pretending to gag himself.

"So Renkotsu, what did you get us to eat?" Jakotsu asked, seeming very interested in the food and suddenly ignoring the game he was playing with Suikotsu.

"I win," Suikotsu laughed, running his hand across the rocks and scattering them.

"You LIAR!" Jakotsu hissed, looking back at the disoriented rocks. "You messed them up on purpose! You can't fool me!"

"Or can I?"

"GOD, I'm leaving," Bankotsu announced suddenly.

"Where are you going? Dinner will be in an hour," Renkotsu said, hoping to get a reply. All he received was a grunt of acknowledgment. "Okay then…"

Bankotsu left the cave and began wandering through the forest, trying to clear his mind. He didn't want to admit it, but he had been thinking about that priestess for the past few months and the longer it went on, the more his heart ached. After awhile, he suddenly realized he was standing at the Bone Eaters well, the well that supposedly connected his world with the world of the woman who had been haunting his dreams.

"I'm going to have to put an end to this," he mumbled to himself before jumping into the well.

**OoOoOoOo **

Kagome stepped out of her house and into the fresh morning air. She couldn't help but smile, she knew that today was going to be a good day. She finally felt like she could move on. Today she had decided to ask Hojo on a date.

As she walked toward the temple steps, she noticed that the well inside the shed was glowing. "Inuyasha?" she mumbled to herself, wondering why on earth he would visiting her. She decided that it wouldn't hurt her if she was any later to school and went over to the shed to greet him. However, the person that came out of the shed was not the one she had been expecting.

"…Bankotsu?" she mumbled in surprise, dropping her book bag from her shoulders.

Bankotsu heard his name and glanced over to the one calling his. When his eyes fell upon Kagome he felt anxious and his heart began racing. "It's you," he mumbled.

"W-why are you here?" Kagome stammered, stepping away from the shed and from Bankotsu.

"For you," he replied, quickly walking toward her. He grabbed her roughly by the arm and forced her to look at him. "Why is it I can't stop thinking about you? Why have I been dreaming about you for the past few months? Why won't you leave me alone?" he asked harshly, becoming impatient. The pain in his chest was becoming unbearable.

"Bankotsu," Kagome mumbled, tearing up. "I…I'm finally getting over you, I can't take this..."

"Take what?" he asked impatiently.

"Why are you doing this to me?" she cried, tearing her arms away from him. "Why do you have to keep torturing me!? Why can't you just let me forget you?"

"Why am I torturing you?" he asked angrily. "Why are you torturing me? I can't sleep, I'm finding it hard to eat…and you know what I want most of all?"

"What?" she asked, though she could less. She just wanted him to go away.

"This," he said and suddenly pulled her into his arms and kissed her roughly. After a few seconds his rough kiss became gentle and then passionate. When he pulled away his eyes met with hers and he couldn't help but smile. "Kagome…god, I missed you."

"Bankotsu?" she asked, confused as to what just happened. Her body was trembling from the intense kiss and she could barely stand. "Why are you doing this?"

"Because I love you, Kagome. More than anything in the world, I love you. And I swear, I'll never let you go again."

Kagome began crying again, but this time it was because she was overjoyed. She'd never really gotten over Bankotsu, her heart still ached all of the time. But now she felt at peace. All she wanted was to be in his arms forever. "I love you too."

THE END.

---------------------------------------------------------

Tada! There was no way I was going to have this story end sadly. No. Way. In any case, thank you everyone for sticking with me the whole time, it took a lot longer than it should have, but I did finally finish. I would really appreciate it if everyone would give me a review and tell me what you thought of the whole deal. I do realize I probably left out some story and that these 30 chapters are far from perfect, but seeing how this is merely a fanfiction and not my precious baby (as is the novel I'm currently writing) it will be less than perfect. However, thanks all for reading and leaving incouraging reviews. Please review and gimme your thoughts, my beloved readers!

XOXOXO 3


End file.
